The Art of Salvation
by Hermione Eveningfall
Summary: Today is the beginning of your life." Funny how those few simple words could hold such an outstanding meaning?
1. Chapter 1

Title: _The Art of Salvation _

Author: Hermione Eveningfall

Fandom: Heroes

Pairing: Claire/West, Peter/Caitlin

Rating: PG (mild language, but not too bad)

Summary: _"Today is the beginning of your life." Funny how those simple words could hold such an outstanding meaning? _

Chapter 1

_Costa Verde, California_

_Two years later_

On my eighteenth birthday, I graduated from high school.

Mom, Dad, Peter and Caitlin made a huge deal when I met them after the ceremony, bearing my folder which would soon hold my diploma.

"We made it," West exclaimed, catching up with me as we left the familiar building, mobbed with students and multiple family members. "Can you believe we're finally escaping this hole?"

I could, though out of all the schools I attended in my life, Costa Verde High proved to be the most challenging.

"Let me see that again," Mom begged, swiping the diploma folder from my hands, and I stared at her, feeling Peter wrap an arm around my shoulders.

"Mom, there's nothing in it yet," I laughed, rolling my eyes, and she made a face.

"It's the idea behind the folder that counts most," she explained. "so, West, are you and your family doing anything for graduation?"

Westley shrugged, his hands in his pockets. "We're going out to dinner...oh crap, they're calling me over, speaking of which. I love you--congratulations," he whispered into my ear, and I waved, watching as he disappeared a few moments later.

"All right...we're going out," Mom insisted. "Claire, you have the decision on the restaraunt."

"Mom, do we have to?" I asked. "I'd rather just collapse at home."

"So we'll order a Pizza, then" Peter suggested. "Claire, this is a huge accomplishment. I'm so proud of you."

"Pizza sounds good," I chuckled, and Mom gave Peter a grateful look. She and Dad were getting used to having him around on a regular basis, and treated him and Caitlin as part of the family.

"And on top of graduation, little miss Claire turned 18 today," Mom cooed, and I gave a heavy sigh. "How could we not enjoy this moment?"

"Honey, I think Claire's old enough to decide what she wants," Dad insisted. "If she wants a nice quiet evening at home with her family, than that's what we'll give her."

I shot him a smile, and the group of us piled into the Bennett family van. Peter sat with Caitlin beside me in the middle seat, and Lyle was behind us.

"I can't believe you're graduating on your birthday," Lyle muttered. "I only have a stupid March birthday. What's so cool about that?"

"Nothing is ever stupid," Mom promised, and I felt my cell phone vibrating in my jacket pocket. Thinking West was calling, I immediately slid it out, and checked the caller ID. What met my eyes was startling, and I didn't know what to do.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked, noticing the expression on my face, and I chewed on my lower lip. I couldn't answer the phone with my biological father on the other end--not with Mom, Dad, and Lyle in earshot.

"Nothing," I promised, though he raised an eyebrow with disbelief. "West just sent me a Happy Birthday text...no big deal."

I put the phone back into my pocket, my heart racing. I didn't expect Nathan to contact me at all, considering the last time we talked was during the holidays, and only for a couple of minutes.

When we arrived home safe and sound, Peter volunteered to order the pizzas, and I rushed straight up to my bedroom to drop off my stuff. As I sat alone on my bed, I fiddled with my cell phone, wondering if I should return Nathan's call.

Finally I did, deciding it would bother me otherwise.

"Hello?"

Nathan's voice was so familiar, with a soothing, yet stern sort of ring.

"It's Claire," I announced, and there was an awkward pause. _I should be used to the breaks in conversation by now, _I thought, hugging my knees to my chest, and listened as my family talked and laughed together downstairs.

"Oh, hey," he replied. "Yeah--I tried calling to wish you a happy birthday. You're eighteen this year, right?"

I nodded, chewing on my lower lip. "Yes," I said. "and I just came home from my high school graduation ceremony. That's why I couldn't answer the phone," I explained, and Peter came into the room a few moments later, concern written all over his face. When he saw I was on the phone, he gave a knowing smile, and leaned against the wall waiting for me to finish.

"Really! Congratulations. You must be excited."

"Pretty much," I agreed. "Only now I have to worry about college."

I was accepted to UCLA a few months before--I hated filling out applications, and thought it a complete waste of time given the situation with my abilities. How could I bog down to something like this, when I would probably have to drop out when things got tough? College wasn't cheap, and more than likely I would be helping out with payments, considering they had Lyle to worry about in the future. Dad insisted I try anyway, because having a college degree under your belt never hurt.

"I'd rather you not become a paper salesman," He told me, and that was definitely true.

"Were you accepted anywhere, yet?"

I gave Peter an apologetic glance, and he made a motion that he would be downstairs, and dinner would be arriving soon.

"UCLA," I replied.

"Good for you." Nathan cleared his throat. "well, I should go."

"Thanks for calling," I added, and after saying goodbye, the two of us hung up. I sat staring at my phone for quite a while, still stunned that he even thought to contact me. It was clear Nathan was trying to keep me in his life, especially following our last true meeting with each other during Peter's illness over two years ago.

When my nerves finally subsided, I hurried downstairs, and found Caitlin helping my Mom set the table with paper plates and cups.

"There you are," Mom announced. "is everything all right?"

I nodded, trying to look as though I meant it. "Yep...just had to regroup a little," I promised.

Peter encouraged me to follow him into the separate dining room, and the two of us faced each other. "Did Nathan just call you?" he asked, and I nodded.

"How did you guess?" I asked, and Peter smirked.

"Well, you don't usually look like hell froze over when West sends you a message. Normally you look more like this." He made a love-sick face, and I punched him on the arm. "Ow!" he laughed, and I stuck out my tongue.

"Oh come on, that didn't hurt," I said, and he rubbed the spot for a second. "By the way--how did Nathan know it was my birthday? Did you tell him the date?" I asked, and Peter held his hands up.

"I swear I didn't," he promised. "I take this as a good sign, though--it means he cares enough about you to do some research."

"You think he may have found out on his own?" I asked, a little surprised, and Peter chuckled.

"Under all that tough exterior, Nathan's a big softy," he explained. "trust me...he's an easy guy to break. I knew exactly what buttons to push when we were kids, if I wanted him to do something for me. He just doesn't like to admit any of that, because it might hurt his public image."

I laughed. "Oh really?" I asked, and Peter shrugged, still smirking.

When pizza arrived, our focus shifted to dinner, and more of Mom and Dad's gushing over my accomplishments. They were exceptionally proud of having a daughter who graduated with honors, and one about to go to one of the most prestigious colleges in the area.

"Do you know what you're going to study yet?" Claire asked, and I shook my head. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, to be perfectly honest.

"I might just go for a general liberal arts degree at first," I explained. "I would love to get a degree in biology, though."

Lyle pretended to gag, and I made a face at him.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Dad asked, and I flashed him an innocent look.

"I think that would be marvelous," Mom told me. "There are so many fields you could get into with a science degree. But you know, honey, I think a liberal arts major would be fine your first couple of years--that way it gives you a chance to explore multiple options."

I took a bite from my current slice of pizza, eyeing Peter over my plate.

After dinner, my Uncle asked if I wanted some kind of party for my birthday. "No," I groaned. "please, no parties."

"Not even for your eighteenth?" he asked, sounding horrified that I would even consider laying low for such an occasion.

"I've never been much of a partier," I admitted, and considering the last true party I'd attended, I was quite nearly raped and killed. Not exactly something I wanted to experience ever again, though I was sure Peter would only invite A-list people.

"We have to do something other than just pizza at your parent's," he argued, and Caitlin gave him a warning look, sensing my irritation. "Even if you don't celebrate any of your other birthdays, at least make the eighteenth and the twenty-first memorable."

"Let her be, will ya?" she teased, and he made a face. "don't listen to him. If you don't want a party, you don't have to have one, Claire."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, giving Caitlin a hug. "See? At least someone listens to my opinions!"

"Is it wrong that I want to spoil my favorite niece?" Peter asked, and I felt my cheeks growing warm with embarassment.

"I'm your only niece," I replied, and he stuck out his tongue.

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled, giving me a hug. "listen, we should hit the road...it's getting late."

"Awwww," I pouted. "Well, thanks for coming along...it really did mean a lot," I said, and he gave a nod.

When my Uncle left, I had a sneaking suspicion that I wouldn't be left entirely alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning, I awoke in a panic. It always felt so weird not having anywhere to be, and for some reason, I had a lot of difficulty sleeping. I kept hearing Nathan's voice crying out for help, and everytime I'd get closer, the voice would grow continuously faint.

"Good morning, sleepy head!"

I nearly jumped a foot, and saw West sitting on my desk chair, watching me with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"What are you doing here?" I croaked, rubbing my hands over my face, and he checked his watch.

"It's almost eleven," he explained. "I came over to give you your belated birthday present, and your Mom said you were still sleeping. Rough night, huh?"

"Eleven?" I repeated, and West chuckled, watching as I pulled the covers down, revealing a pair of pale pink pajama pants, and a t-shirt given to us for Odessa High School cheerleading.

"Understood, though, considering it's the first day of summer," He announced, and presented me with a somewhat poorly-wrapped package. "Happy birthday," he announced, and I smiled at him, surprised.

"Thank you," I said, and he joined me on the edge of the mattress, watching as my fingers clumsily tore the colorful paper away.

"It's not much," West admitted, "but I thought it was pretty, and suited you."

I blushed again, and opened the box, revealing a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny silver carving of a bird at the end. _How appropriate, _I thought, considering three of my favorite people had the ability to fly.

"Wow," I breathed, and removed the necklace from the box. "I love it!"

"Thought you would," West chuckled, and volunteered to fasten it for me.

"Thanks," I told him, and lifted my hair so he could reach around my neck.

I stood up and peered at my reflection in the mirror--the bird glistened in the early afternoon sunlight. I immediately wrapped my arms around West, and planted a kiss on his lips.

"You have the best thank you's in town," he said with a wink, and I giggled at the comment.

"Listen, I'm going to hop in the shower, and change into some real clothes. Would you mind waiting downstairs for me?" I asked, and he nodded, watching as I shuffled into the hallway. I could hear Mom talking on the phone downstairs; Dad was at work, so West wouldn't have any reason to feel intimidated if he sat alone for a bit. He still treated my father like a bomb that would go off at any second; even after we assured him no one would lock him in a cage and perform experiments.

"Trust me," Dad began, "that's what I've been avoiding for my daughter. Hence why we've changed location so many times."

I stood in the shower, washing my hair with strawberry-scented shampoo, and thought about my life as it stood. I realized with a start that I was truly happy, for the first time in ages, despite my freakdome. I found my biological family, who turned out to be exactly as I pictured--well, mostly. I had an incredible boyfriend, and we'd been dating for two full years. Everything seemed to be in order.

_Then why have I been experiencing these nightmares? _I thought, stepping out of the shower after about ten minutes, and wrapped my hair and body in fluffy towels.

I decided not to worry about the dreams just then; today I could officially enjoy my birthday, and throw some money into the shops downtown.

West met me in the living room, and Mom offered to make me something for breakfast since I'd missed the original meal time.

"No thanks, Mom," I insisted. "West and I will just grab an early lunch at the mall."

"The mall?" West asked, and I looked at him.

"Yes," I said. "we're going to the mall, so I can treat myself to a few things for my birthday. I might not want a party, but I don't want to ignore the fact that I have a day to celebrate me entirely."

Mom was grinning from behind the kitchen counter, and provided me with some spending money.

"Just don't go overboard, Claire," she warned. "your closet is already well-stocked."

That was true; last time I'd gone shopping was with Grandmother Petrelli, shortly before I moved in with Peter. She spoiled me with a mountain of clothes, insisting that what I had was not suitable for a grandchild of hers.

"Thanks, Mom," I said, and after giving her a hug and kiss, drug my boyfriend out the door.

Peter called about halfway through our shopping spree, and asked what I was doing that afternoon.

"Nothing, really," I admitted. "why?"

"Did you want to come over and hang out for a while?" he asked. "I took a vacation day because apparently I have too many, but now I'm bored."

I laughed at his comment. As expected, Peter got a nursing job at the Good Semeritan Hospital in Los Angeles, and Caitlin worked as a bar tender at one of the local restuarants. She truly seemed to enjoy herself in America, and was definitely madly in love with my Uncle.

"Sure," I promised. "I'll be over soon. West and I are shopping."

"Ah, birthday money burning a hole in your pocket?" Peter asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up," I retorted, trying to juggle the bags on my arms. "I'll be over in a little while. Love you."

"Love you too, munchkin."

After we hung up, West raised an eyebrow.

"My Uncle's bored," I explained. "he's home from work for the day, and wanted some company. Would you mind if we stopped over for a while?"

West shook his head. "Nope," he replied. "is he okay?"

"Oh yeah...he apparently had too much vacation time, and decided to start using it. Caitlin works regularly now, so she's not always around."

West clucked his tongue, and treated me to a milkshake before we left the mall.

I shoved my purchases into the back of West's jeep, and the two of us set off for LA. I made sure to call my Mom and let her know of our plans, and she made me promise to be home in time for dinner.

"I will," I told her. "See ya."

Wes turned on the music after I shoved my cell phone back into my purse, and I leaned back against the seat.

We arrived at Peter's apartment by 2, and he gave me a hug and kiss once the door opened.

"Hey," he greeted. "Hi, West. Nice to see you."

"You too," West replied, and my Uncle let both of us in.

"So how badly is your wallet hurting?" Peter asked, bringing us into the kitchen, and I smirked.

"I probably spent a little more than I should have, but you don't turn eighteen every day," I admitted, and stopped short. What sat on the kitchen table made my mouth drop, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You didn't," I said, and Peter sat down.

"Meet Munchkin's twin," he explained, and I sat down to stare at the fish bowl. Sure enough, the tiny goldfish swam around, not paying attention to either of us. "I felt bad that I couldn't take care of your fish like you wanted me to, but I figured I'd replace him," Peter added, and I giggled.

"Thank you," I said, and he ruffled my hair.

When West inquired about the story of Munchkin I, I realized he wouldn't have known about my previous pet, whose fate still remained a msytery to this very day.

After I told him about my little fish back in New York, he merely laughed and told me I was adorable. I merely stuck out my tongue, and turned my attention back to Peter.

"Listen, um..." my Uncle began, his voice a little timid, which definitely wasn't normal. "I lied a little in my explination of having off this afternoon."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" I glanced at West, who sat in the chair next to me, his focus on Munchkin II, who had resorted to sucking on the stones which lay at the bottom of the bowl. "What's up?"

Peter cleared his throat, the tip of his ears turning a bright red. "I'll show you why." he got up from his chair, and disappeared down the hall that led to the bedroom he shared with Caitlin. I leaned backwards to see what was going on, and turned to West with a confused look on my face. He shrugged, and I offered to get him a soda while we waited.

"No thanks," he insisted. "I'm still full from lunch."

Peter eventually returned, holding something behind his back, and I stared at him for a couple of moments. "I asked you to come over, because of something I'm planning to do tonight. I had to go and pick this up from the jewler this morning." He revealed a black velvet box, and my heart nearly stopped in mid-beat.

"Oh my God," I gasped, and Peter frowned. "Is this an..."

"Engagement ring?" he asked, and nodded. "Yes," he answered. "Claire, I'm going to ask Caitlin to marry me."

Silence filled the air, and when I turned to West, I saw his mouth hanging open with shock.

"Are you serious?" I exclaimed, unable to stop beaming. I knew my Uncle and Caitlin were madly in love, and had been in a steady relationship for two years as of this past February. They were perfect for each other, and I kept telling myself I hoped they would marry some day. "Oh my God!" I immediately leapt up and threw my arms around Peter, nearly knocking him down in the process. He steadied himself against the table, and eventually managed to return the gesture, laughing all the while at my reaction.

"I take it you approve?" he asked, and after we parted ways, I nodded eagerly.

"Can I see the ring?" I asked, and he handed the box to me. I popped it open, revealing a silver band with a tiny but definitely noticiable diamond in the direct center. It definitely screamed Caitlin's name, and I felt tears welling in my eyes.

"Are you crying?" Peter asked, amusement in his voice, and I wiped my eyes with one hand.

"Sorry," I apologized. "it's just so romantic. I'm really excited for you," I breathed.

"I'm freaking out," Peter admitted. "Caitlin doesn't get off until eight, and I needed someone to talk to other than myself."

I stared...Peter Petrelli, one of the most powerful of our kind, was nervous about something as simple as proposing to his girlfriend. Both of us narrowly escaped death more than once, after all! What was a simple question?

"My Mom wants us home for dinner by 6:30, but you can definitely talk to me," I promised, and he looked relieved after I handed the ring back.

"Youre approval means a lot," he added, and I raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Really?" I asked, and he sat down again, placing the box on the table.

"You're my best friend," he explained, "and I didn't want to marry someone who made you feel uncomfortable."

"I appreciate that," I replied. "but trust me...I love Caitlin. I was hoping you'd propose to her, especially after you hit the two year mark."

"Part of me is terrified she'll say no," he admitted. "I mean, marrying someone who could blast you against a wall with a flick of his hand?"

"Peter," I began, and he shook his head.

"I'm serious," he continued. "I'm not a normal human being, and the fact that Caitlin has stood by my side for this long and not freaked out is just...it proves we're meant for each other."

I felt the tears filling my eyes again, and tried really hard to hold them back. "Stop it," Peter teased, and I shrugged. "This is supposed to be good news!"

"I know," I said. "I can't help myself. It's so romantic."

Peter gave me a hug, which definitely was comforting. So many changes were hitting us at once, and they could be overwhelming at times. But I was so proud of my Uncle for taking this huge step, which for our kind could prove trecherous.

We stayed at Peter's until about 5:30, and I made him swear to call me as soon as he was done popping the question.

"I'm so happy for you," I whispered, giving him another hug.

"Thanks, munchkin," Peter announced. "don't forget your pet!" he used telepathy to move the fish bowl over to where West and I stood, placing it directly into my hands.

"Oh right," I chuckled. "thanks."

West smirked, and the two of us said our goodbyes before leaving. In the car, I held Munchkin II's bowl on my lap, trying to prevent water from sloshing over the sides and onto my pants.

"Are you okay?" West asked, noticing I hadn't said a word since we left the apartment, and I looked at him.

"Yeah," I promised. "sorry--my Uncle kind of threw me for a loop. I'm still processing everything."

West nodded in understanding. "I wonder if we'll ever get married someday," he suggested, and I stared. He glanced at me from the side, and then immediately turned his attention back to the window. "It was just a thought," he added, and I looked into the fish bowl for a second. Munchkin II was swimming aimlessly, completely oblivious to the two of us.

"Someday, maybe," I agreed. "but in the distant future."

"Yeah," West muttered. "I doubt either of our families would approve of us getting married outside of high school."

"Maybe after college?" I asked, and West smiled.

"Maybe," he agreed, and pulled into my driveway.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When the first heatwave of the summer hit Costa Verde, West and I spent most of our free time frolicking on our favorite private beach. Only a few stray people decided to go there at any given time, so we could talk about anything without fear.

"What are you looking to do with your life after college?" West asked, as the two of us sat on the damp rocks, just watching the waves crash up against them.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I really want to do something related to science, and preferably research related to our kind, but I don't want to work for the company my Dad's been trying to keep me away from."

West chuckled. "Yeah, I see your point," he agreed. "maybe we can start our own?"

I looked at him with amusement. "Sure," I snorted. "Okay! That's reasonable."

"What?" he asked, raising his arms. "we already know a handful of people with these kinds of abilities! And it really helps to have someone like your Uncle on our side."

I smiled at the mention of Peter, who was officially engaged to Caitlin. She said yes without hesitation to his proposal, and they planned to marry in the fall.

"And exactly what would our goal's be?" I asked, and West shrugged.

"I don't know...maybe we'd provide an institution for our kind to use their powers dedicated to helping people. We wouldn't do experiements, we'd enhance their powers."

"It sounds great in theory, West, but I really don't think we'd stand a chance," I admitted, and he looked disappointed by my lack of support. "I'm sorry, but I like being normal for once. Is that so bad?"

He shook his head. "No," he muttered, tossing a rock into the water, and watching as it disappeared amongst the swell. "I just don't understand why we have these powers if we can't help people with them."

"Trust me," I continued, "I feel the same way, but until we know what's going on behind the scenes, I don't think it's safe."

West kissed me, and the two of us stared into each other's eyes for a couple of moments.

"Oh...phone's vibrating," I interrupted, and he snickered, watching as I stood, reaching into the pocket of my bluejean capris. "Nathan's calling again," I whispered, and West raised his eyes. For some reason, my biological father had been either calling or text messaging me for the past few nights, asking the most random questions. Peter acted oblivious when I confronted him about it, though I felt out of the loop.

"That was fast," West said once I hung up, and I rolled my eyes.

"He wanted to know what my favorite color was," I explained. "he's being weird now."

"Maybe he's trying to get to know you in spurts?" West suggested, and we climbed carefully off of the rocks. Of course, I didn't have to worry about being careful--if I hurt myself, I would heal in a matter of seconds, but I didn't want anyone to be suspicious.

"Last night he asked about my summer plans. He wanted to know exact dates of when I would be free. Then he changed the topic to whether I liked sports cars."

"What did you tell him?" West cocked his head to one side, and I shrugged.

"Told him yes, of course," I replied. "why?"

"Maybe he's getting you a car for your birthday," West suggested, and I snorted.

"Yeah, right," I replied. "come on. I barely know him! He wouldn't spend that much on me."

"You never know," West admitted, and the two of us headed up to the boardwalk, knocking sand out of our shoes. "and why did he ask about your summer plans?"

"He didn't say," I said. "probably just because he was trying to sound interested. Not buying it." I re-did my ponytail, which had come undone in the process of our beach excurision.

"Are you bitter?" West asked, and I looked at him. "did he do something to piss you off?"

"No," I grumbled. "he just...I don't know. He didn't care this much before. In fact, he made it blatently clear that he didn't want to interact with me until after the election. Well, Mr. Rosen, that time has passed months ago."

"It has to be awkward for him," West suggested. "I mean, thinking your daughter's dead all these years, and suddenly she's not?"

"I guess I expected everything to turn out different," I admitted.

"How?" West and I sat down on a bench, not wanting to go home just yet. Even though the weather was hot, there was a nice, steady breeze. "did you expect him to just drop everything and take you home?"

"Maybe?" I cocked my head to one side. "I don't know. I guess I just want us all to be one big family. Not...separate. I don't actually feel like his daughter."

"At least you have Peter and Caitlin," West pointed out. "they moved to California to be with you."

I had to agree with that, and he finally convinced me that we needed to be in air conditioning. Mom was lounging on the couch with Mr. Muggles, who immediately began yapping at the top of his lungs when we opened the front door.

"Ah, Claire! There you are," she called, sitting up, and I waved, encouraging my boyfriend to come in behind me.

"I should get home," he whispered. "I'll call you later." he kissed my forehead, and I watched as he shut the door.

"How was your day, honey?" Mom asked as I entered the living room, wiping sweat from my brow. California had low humidity in general, but for some reason it seemed bad this week.

"Fine," I replied. "lazy. We just hung out on the beach."

"Sounds lovely to me," she said. "listen, we're having Peter and Caitlin over next weekend for a family dinner. I'd really like if you and Westley could make arrangements to be there."

"Sure," I agreed. "what's the occasion?"

Mom smiled. "We haven't had one since their engagement," she explained, and I nodded in understanding.

"Actually, we took them both out that same weekend," I admitted, and she frowned a little.

"Right. Well, never hurts to celebrate something like this again!"

I could tell she was trying not to reveal important information to me, but I decided not to press the matter. Instead, I decided to go upstairs and take a shower, washing the sticky sea spray from my skin.

Once I changed and sat cross-legged on my bed, I thought about West's comment about Nathan's wanting to know me, but feeling uncomfortable. I realized, with a start, that I missed him, and that was why these quick little phone calls here and there were more bothersome than helpful. He would never replace my adoptive parents, of course...but he, Peter and I had a special connection, one that only the three of us could actually understand.

I pulled my cell phone out from my purse, and decided to call Peter, needing to hear my Uncle's voice again.

"Hello?" he answered, and I lay back against my pillows, gazing up at the ceiling.

"Hey," I replied, and there was a pause.

"Are you okay?" He asked, and I was fascinated that he could read me almost as well as my parents when I was not content.

"I miss Nathan," I admitted, and I could just picture Peter's face, his eyes widening and mouth hanging open. "is that weird? I really want to see him again, but I know that's impossible. He's in New York."

"He's your real Dad," Peter replied. "of course you want to see him. And after hearing what you've been telling me, he's making an effort."

"Yeah," I sighed. "I guess because I did turn eighteen, and I feel like he should this as a right of passage for me. Not just like any other birthday."

"Claire," Peter continued, "Nathan's going through a lot right now, getting himself set up in office, and it's going to be a while before he feels comfortable letting you in."

"I know," I told him. "I was telling West I wish we could all be together, and not have to worry about anything."

"Munchkin," Peter soothed. "do you want me to come over?"

"No" I sniffed. "I just wanted to talk. Did my Mom invite you for dinner next weekend? She seems excited about it."

"Yeah," Peter replied. "Caitlin and I will both be there. Listen, hang in there, okay?"

"It wouldn't be bothering me so much if Nathan didn't keep calling," I pointed out.

"Should I tell him to stop?" Peter asked, and I felt my heart sink at the very suggestion. "If it's upsetting you, I don't want..."

"No," I interrupted. "It's okay. I'm just being weird, that's all. I'm gonna go...I love you."

"I love you too, munchkin. I'm here if you need me," Peter encouraged, and after I hung up, I stared at my phone for a long time, as though willing it to ring again.

That night I had another bad dream, and woke up covered in sweat. I could still hear Nathan's cries for help, and the sound of a banging on a metalic door. I found myself in a long, dimly lit hallway, and as usual, the closer I thought I would get to the sound, it would disappear entirely.

_"Nathan!" I screamed, "where are you!"_

_When no answer came, I felt tears filling my eyes. "Daddy?" I called, shocked as the word flew from my mouth, and at that moment I could hear Nathan's voice again. "Dad!" I continued running..._

I rubbed a hand over my face, and reached for the cell phone that sat on my nightstand. I always kept it there, in case someone tried to call me for emergencies. So far the que remained blank, only displaying the time which read 2:45am.

I didn't fall back to sleep again until 4, trying desparately to remember my time on the beach with West that morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The following week seemed to go by in a whirlwind. Mom was exceptionally anal about keeping the house spotless, and demanded I clean my bedroom and the guest room.

"What for?" I asked. "it's not like we're expecting anybody except Peter and Caitlin. They don't care what my room looks like."

However, Mom gave me a look that was nasty enough to make a person's skin crawl, and I decided it was best to heed her orders.

On Friday night, I helped get the table ready for dinner, and when Mom asked for an extra place setting, I looked at her.

"Besides West and me?" I asked, confused. "who else is coming?"

Mom encouraged me to go and sit with West in the living room, where he and Peter were having a private conversation.

"Everybody has officially gone crazy," I announced, and both of them looked up, startled by my sudden appearance.

"What makes you say that?" Peter asked, and I sat between them. Caitlin was on his other side, and I caught her occasionally admiring the ring on her finger. It was truly beautiful, and twinkled if the light hit it at a perfect angle.

"There's an extra place setting at the table, and Mom won't tell me who's coming over. What's the big deal?" I asked, and I noticed Peter's expression change ever so slightly. "You know something, don't you?" I asked, pointing an accusing finger, and he held up his hands. "Caitlin, you'll tell me, right?" I asked, and my future Aunt merely smiled, putting an arm around her fiance.

When there was a knock on the door around 7:30, the entire room seemed to grow silent as death. I looked from Peter to my Mom, who asked if I would answer it for her. Even my Dad came downstairs at that moment, having gone up to change out of his work clothes and into something more presentable.

"Okay," I agreed, wondering who the mystery guest could be. I grabbed hold of the knob and opened the door cautiously, expecting a friend of my parents or some other B-list person I didn't know. However, what met my eyes nearly caused my knees to go weak, and my hear to stop beating. "Nathan?" I gasped, and sure enough, my biological father stood on the doorstep, looking exactly as I remembered the last time we met. He wore a suit, which made him seem very prestigious, and I could hear my Uncle sniggering from the living room couch.

"Happy birthday, Claire," Nathan told me, and I immediately embraced him, not sure what else to do or say.

"I can't believe you're here!" I exclaimed, and whirled around, to find Mom standing in the living room now, watching me. "That's who the extra place setting was for!" I realized, and she nodded. "How..."

"We wanted to do something special for your eighteenth birthday," Peter explained, and cut me off as I started to argue. "Nathan wanted to be here, and we've been making arrangements for the past month."

"So all of those phone calls?" I asked, and Nathan nodded, looking a little sheapish.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was shopping for your birthday present, and I had to know the exact color and style you wanted before I made an official decision."

"You didn't have to get me anything," I admitted, blushing a little. I couldn't believe he was here, after all this time.

"Oh yes I did," He replied. "Claire, I've missed seventeen birthdays, seventeen Christmases...this is pretty much your right of passage into adult hood."

"Well, come on inside," Mom encouraged, and I stepped back, allowing Nathan to walk into the house, shaking hands with my Dad, who asked if he wanted anything to drink.

"Did you know that Peter is engaged?" I asked, not sure if the news spread, and Nathan looked at his brother who had stood up.

"Yes, he told me last time we talked on the phone. Congratulations, bro," Nathan announced, giving Peter a hug, and did the same with Caitlin. "welcome to the family," he added, and it was her turn to blush.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Well! Dinner is just about ready, so please make yourselves comfortable at the kitchen table. Nathan, you're welcome to stay here--we have a guest room all set up for you."

"I couldn't impose..." Nathan began, and Mom shook her head, insisting he not waste money on a hotel room.

"They're outrageous," she said. "besides, you'll want to spend more time with Claire while you're here."

I smiled at him, still feeling disblief that he'd come three thousand miles to spend time with me.

"How was your flight?" I asked, once we settled into eating. Mom made her famous meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and fresh bread. "you look pretty tired."

"Long," Nathan admitted. "there was an hour delay at the airport, and another half hour stuck inside the plane while they had to add more fuel. Other than that, the flight itself was pretty smoothe. I'm just glad to be on solid ground again."

I wondered why Nathan didn't just use his powers and fly here without a plane, but I figured he, like the rest of us, were trying to lay as low as possible. Nathan seemed to me like the "closeted" hero...he preferred to keep his powers to himself, didn't want them to exist. Kind of like myself in the beginning, though I still found them fascinating enough to make videos as proof that I hadn't gone batshit crazy.

"So how long are you here for?" I asked, noticing the uncomfortable expression on my adoptive father's face.

"A week, give or take," Nathan replied, and I felt my heart racing with excitement.

"Wow, you have a whole week?" I teased, and Peter smirked at my expression.

"Funny," Nathan chuckled. "listen, tomorrow I wanted to take you so we can pick up your birthday present."

"Pick up?" I glanced at Peter, who shrugged, claiming to be innocent.

"Yeah." Nathan cleared his throat, and I could tell this situation made him feel awkward, too. "I couldn't really bring it with me on the plane." He eyed my Dad knowingly, and I wondered what they were plotting.

"And on Friday you two should spend the day together," Mom suggested, and I looked at her, puzzled.

"Why Friday?" I asked. "we have the whole week..."

"Friday's always good," Nathan agreed, and I rolled my eyes.

"This entire family's gone cookoo," I announced, and after dinner, I was ordered not to dare touch any of the dirty dishes.

"He didn't come three thousand miles to watch you do domestic chores, Claire," Mom explained, and I suggested Nathan come up and hang with me in my bedroom for a while.

"Or is that weird?" I asked, and he laughed, glancing at Peter.

"Of course not," he promised, and the two of us headed upstairs. "but I'm probably going to turn in a little early tonight. I'm still feeling kind of run down from the flight." Six hours in a plane, I knew, could do that to anybody, and I nodded in understanding.

"Did you want me to join you or go?" West asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, and I'd almost completely forgotten he was there.

"Um..." I paused. "it's up to you," I added, not wanting to push my boyfriend away, but at the same time wanted some alone time with my bio Dad.

"I'll see you tomorrow," West promised, and kissed me, telling Nathan how pleased he was to meet him.

"You too," Nathan replied, and we waited until West had gone before I brought my guest upstairs. I turned on the light to my bedroom; the walls were cream, and the floor the same. My bedspread and sheets were lavender, with large fluffy white pillows. I'd been allowed to decorate my new bedroom as opposed to my old one in Odessa, which included choosing my own color schemes. "As long as she doesn't go for black, I'm satisfied," Dad told Mom once we made that decision.

"You can sit anywhere, really," I suggested, and used the edge of my mattress for the time being. He sat down on my desk chair, and caught a glimpse of Munchkin II's bowl at his elbow.

"Pete actually kept your fish alive this long?" he asked, and I laughed at the comment.

"No," I admitted. "he had to replace it." I fiddled with the watch on my left wrist, and blew out my breath. "I'm really glad you came," I added. "I was just telling Peter how much I missed you after last time."

"I'm sorry," Nathan apologized. "it's been so complicated with the election, and the amount of free time on my hands is really limited. I was lucky to get a week off to come here." he smiled faintly, and I thought he looked awfully pale and weary. "So I'll bet you're glad to be done with high school," he added, and I nodded.

"It's been weird," I replied. "knowing I won't go back in the fall."

"So your boyfriend...how long have you two been going out?"

I felt my cheeks grow a little warm, and while I could boast about West all day to my friends and my Mom, it was a bit harder to do with fathers.

"Two years," I answered. "he can fly, too."

"Pete told me," Nathan chuckled. "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I guess." he stopped to yawn, excusing himself afterwards. "Sorry," he apologized, and I shook my head. "I've been feeling kind of crappy since I got my flu shot last week. Apparently they're mandatory for anyone in a government office."

"Really?" I cocked my head to one side. "I know I heard somewhere that sometimes you feel like you have the flu after you get the shot, only it's not as bad as the real thing."

Nathan smiled faintly at me. "Nothing I can't handle," he promised, and I looked down at my lap.

"So...how are your wife and kids?" I asked, and he seemed impressed that I cared.

"Doing great," he replied. "I did tell Heidi about you, and she's insistent you come and spend some time with us in New York."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "she didn't pitch a fit that you had a kid with someone else?"

"That was a long time ago, Claire," he admitted. "and it wasn't like I knew anymore than she did."

"Yeah," I took a deep breath.

"Any ideas about what you want to study in college?" Nathan asked. "Pete was telling me you've been accepted to UCLA."

"I don't know," I admitted. "I told my Mom I was thinking of doing a liberal arts degree first, but maybe someday I'll switch to biology."

"Biology! That would be interesting," Nathan complimented, and excused himself to yawn again. "Geeze..." he blinked, and I looked at the clock, which read 8:30.

"Maybe you should turn in early?" I suggested. "You did have a long day."

"I'm sorry, Claire," he apologized, and I shook my head.

"That's okay," I inisted, and he gave me a hug once the two of us were standing.

"I want to get an early start tomorrow, so we can pick up your gift," he explained with a mischevious twinkle in his eye, and I pouted.

"Won't you give me even the slightest hint?" I asked, and he shook his head, winking.

"What's the fun in that?" he asked. "Good night."

"Good night," I added, watching as my bio Dad disappeared down the hall. Peter came upstairs a few moments later, and leaned against the doorway with a smirk on his face.

"You are an ass," I laughed, slapping him with my pillow, and he put me into a headlock to fend me off. "How could you not tell me he was coming!"

"Because it was supposed to be a surprise," he explained.

"I didn't want that," I whined, and he stuck out his tongue. "I wouldn't have minded him coming, but I would have liked to be given some warning."

"Quit being a baby, munchkin,"You said you didn't want a party. Nathan doesn't exactly fall into that category." I folded my arms. "Forgive me?"

I sighed, and shot a quick glance at the ceiling. "Maybe," I admitted, and he kissed the top of my head.

"Good. Well, Cait and I are gonna head home. Nathan went to bed already?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "He was pretty beat. Long flight and all."

Peter nodded in understanding. "Gotcha." he smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow," he added, and I waved, just as Caitlin came up the steps to wish me good night as well.

"Night night," I called, and when they left, I flopped down onto my bed, covering my face with my hands for a few seconds. "Happy birthday to me," I sung under my breath.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next morning, Nathan slept late, and still seemed a bit tired when he came downstairs. "Are you okay?" I asked, and he nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," he replied, though I could tell he wasn't being entirely truthful. "Ready to go?"

"You should have some breakfast," Mom announced, and I looked at her, my eyebrows raised.

"I'll take her out," Nathan insisted, and Mom smiled, glad the two of us were getting along so well. She remembered the last time Dad introduced me to my original "bio parents", people he hired to act the part, anyway.

"If you're sure," Mom replied, and Nathan promised it would be fine.

He rented a pretty basic four door car, not wanting anything too ridiculous, and I pulled open the passenger door once he unlocked it.

"So where are we going?" I asked, once we were on the road, and Nathan looked at me with a michevious twinkle in his eye.

"You'll see," he announced. "but first, I think we should have some breakfast. It'll be nice for the two of us to just sit and talk."

I agreed, and found my attention drifting out the window, watching as the bright California scenery whizzed past.

We went to one of the small cafe's on Costa Verde's main drag, and we sat in the back so we would have some privacy.

It was strange...now that I had Nathan entirely to myself, and could talk about anything with him, I didn't know where to begin. What did you talk to someone who had been non-existent for the first seventeen years of your life?

"Order anything you want," Nathan told me once the menus were given out, and I smiled, flipping open the cover so I could peer at the selection. I loved going out to breakfast...it was a nice change. "So, tell me about yourself," he added, once we got our drinks--he had black coffee, and I ordered a tall orange juice.

"Well, not much to tell," I admitted.

"Claire, I find that hard to believe," Nathan replied. "Seems like the Bennetts have given you a pretty decent life. You seem very happy with them."

I smiled, fiddling with the straw in my glass, and nodded.

"They have," I agreed. "and well...I'm a pretty good student, I guess, and I was a cheerleader in Odessa."

"That's impressive," Nathan complimented. "how long did you do that?"

I thought for a moment, trying to remember the first time I put on my uniform. "I was a cheerleader for two years," I explained. "and I really enjoyed it. Not the girls on the team so much."

"How come you're not cheerleading anymore?"

I raised an eyebrow, and sighed. "I was expected to be the most boring student at Costa Verde High School," I told him, and Nathan frowned. "My Dad...Noah...thought it would be safer if I just hung in the background."

"Claire, you can call him your Dad," Nathan said.

"You're not weirded out by that?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"I may be your biological father, but I haven't exactly earned the title." he cleared his throat, and took a sip of his coffee, just as the waitress came by to take our meal orders.

"But you didn't know I existed," I pointed out, and when Nathan cringed as he massaged his forehead, I wished I had some ibuprofin in my purse. "did you ever think about marrying Meredith?" I spoke of my biological Mom, who continued to remain under the radar since our last meeting.

"No," Nathan admitted. "we weren't really compatable. We were young when we started dating, and grew apart."

"How did you and Heidi meet?" I asked, curious as to how Nathan could have gone from dating a woman who could shoot fire from her palms to someone completely normal. Or so I thought!

"We actually met at a single's mixer," he explained, "if you can believe it."

"You went to one of those?" I giggled, finding it hard to believe.

"Not all of us are as lucky as you and flying man Jr," Nathan retorted, and I stuck out my tongue. "actually, the funny part is, I was going to support Peter who was kind of desparate at the time."

"Oh my God," I laughed. "so you basically met by accident and he was left with noone."

"Obviously that's not the case now, is it?" Nathan asked, and I nodded. "You don't have any advil in your bag, do you?" he blinked, as though the lights were too bright.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I don't."

"We may have to take a side trip to the drug store on the way," Nathan muttered. "I've had a splitting headache since I got up this morning."

"Hopefully you start feeling better soon," I told him.

"I never handled jet lag that well," Nathan said, and took another sip of his coffee. "I'll be fine in a day or so." he looked up as the waitress delivered our orders, and we were distracted by eating for the next several minutes.

After breakfast, we went to the drug store so he could get some medicine. Then we were on our way to the main destination, which still remained a complete mystery.

Twenty minutes later we arrived at a car dealership, and I felt my mouth fall open. "Oh my God," I breathed, and once we parked, I immediatley leapt out of the car, and stood staring at him. "You didn't! This is crazy!"

"Your Dad told me you had a bit of trouble with your previous car," Nathan replied, and I rolled my eyes.

"It was stolen," I grumbled feeling my cheeks grow warm. "I can't believe he told you about that."

"At least I knew what to get you," Nathan told me with a big smile on his face, and lead me inside so we could pick up the keys. "Claire, you are now the proud owner of a dark purple chevy convertable."

Once the dealership employee pulled my birthday gift around, I was filled with an immense amount of emotion.

"Thank you so much," I choked, and threw my arms around Nathan. "I love it!"

"Did you want to take a ride?" Nathan asked, and I was beaming.

"What about your car?" I asked, and Nathan glanced over his shoulder.

"You have your license," he chuckled. "I think you'll be fine driving it on your own until we get back to the house."

"This is incredible," I gasped. "and my Dad was okay about this?"

Nathan nodded. "We talked before I had it made for you," he replied, and I gave him another hug.

"Thank you," I repeated. "I really love it."

"I'm glad," Nathan told me, pleased by my reaction. "Listen, why don't we meet at the house, and you can show me around town for a while?"

I didn't want Nathan to wear himself out, but I wanted to impress him with my driving. He let me drive his car once in New York, but we'd both been too preoccupied with Peter's health at the time to really notice.

"Sounds good," He replied, and after I gave him another hug, he escorted me to the car, and helped me in. "Drive carefully...I'll be following right behind you," he promised, and I smiled, adjusting my seat, my mirrors, etc. The brand new leather smelled so intoxicating; I couldn't believe I had my very own car. The one my father had given me was a hand-me-down, but to have a car specifically designed to my color and style choice made my heart melt.

I met Nathan in my driveway, and found West waiting on the door step. He beamed when I pulled up, and I honked the horn primarily for show.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, running to the driver's side, and I bounced up and down in my seat.

"Did you know I was getting a car for my birthday?" I asked, and West shook his head.

"I was just kidding when I suggested the idea," he replied. "this is incredible!"

"Nathan had it specially made for me," I explained, and West watched as Nathan pulled up behind me, climbing out. "Can I take West for a ride?" I asked, and he smiled, greeting my boyfriend with a firm handshake.

"Sure," he encouraged. "listen, Claire, do you mind if I go upstairs and take a nap? My headache really hasn't eased up. If I'm feeling better later, we'll go out."

"Go ahead," I told him, and he gave me a quick hug and kiss on the forehead. I watched as he headed into the house, and turned to West with a sigh.

"Is he okay?" West asked, and I shrugged.

"He's had a really bad headache since this morning," I replied. "keeps telling me it's jet lag, but I don't know."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," West said, and leapt into the passenger seat. "Let's get this baby on the road!" he begged, and I laughed, eager to get behind the wheel again.

West and I hung out together for most of the afternoon, and when I came home around dinnertime, I found out Nathan was still napping. He came downstairs around 8:30, and I frowned as he joined me on the living room couch.

"I didn't expect to sleep that long," he muttered. "I'm sorry," he apologized, and I shook my head, hugging a throw pillow to my chest.

"You missed dinner," I pointed out. "did you want something?"

"Nah," Nathan replied. "I'm still feeling kind of woozy. So...what's going on? Did West like your new wheels?"

"He loved them," I laughed. "seriously, Nathan, it was an incredible present. You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did," he insisted. "Claire, I had all of these opportunities to be part of your life, and I wasn't. I figured it was the least I could do to make up for having been absent in the past. I know it's not nearly enough, but..." he shrugged.

"Can I ask you something?" I paused, unsure of how to word my next comment.

"Go ahead," he encouraged, and I looked down at my lap.

"If you knew I had survived the fire, would you have..." I chewed on my lip. "would you have taken me in?"

Nathan was very quiet for a couple of seconds, and I could tell I had made him very uncomfortable with my question.

"Claire..." he began, and I shook my head.

"No...that was inappropriate," I interrupted.

"The past was very complicated," Nathan explained.

"I shouldn't have asked," I muttered, and Nathan gave me a hug. "You're here with me now."

He seemed relieved, and kissed my forehead.

I immediately changed the subject, and the two of us took in a movie before I decided to go to bed.

"Sleep tight," Nathan called as I made my way up the stairs, and I glanced over my shoulder, flashing him a smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The rest of the week passed by slowly; Nathan didn't seem to be improving much, despite the extra sleep he got on a daily basis. By Friday, I could tell something was brewing...Nathan took me out all day long, only instead of spending time in Costa Verde, we went to Los Angeles. "Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked, and he smiled from the passenger seat. Ever since I got my new car, I was determined to do all of the driving.

"I'll be fine, Claire," he promised, though I didn't believe him.

We went to all of the famous Hollywood haunts, and when he offered to fly me to the top of the famous sign, I gave him a playful look.

"That was the first place West took me on a date," I said, and Nathan held up his hands, laughing.

"All right, all right. It was just a suggestion."

We had a late lunch at the Hardrock Cafe, and the two of us headed back to the house around dinnertime. I was a bit surprised to find the lights out in the living room; Mom and Dad hadn't announced any proposed plans for that evening, so I expected everyone to be home as usual.

"Weird," I muttered to myself, and unlocked the door with my spare key.

No sooner did I walk through, did the lights go on and a crowd of people leapt up, shouting, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Peter was in the middle of it all, laughing at the expression of utter horror on my face. "What..." I stuttered. "what is all this!"

Mom and Dad immediately gave me a hug, and I noticed they invited all of my friends from school, including West of course, and other family members I hadn't seen in ages.

"It's your birthday party, Clairebear," Dad explained. "you didn't expect us to completely ignore such a special occasion."

I felt Nathan put a comforting hand on my shoulder, and encouraged me to go inside.

Once the initial shock of the surprise ended, I spent time with everyone who had come to the celebration. I introduced Nathan to all of my friends, and the group of us hung out on the patio, enjoying the beautiful summer evening.

"I can't believe we've graduated high school," Martha told me, and West sat across from us, hugging his knees to his chest. "I'm kind of scared about college, you know?"

"Why?" I asked, and she shrugged.

"I never really fit in with anybody in school. I guess the idea of being alone for four more years is freaking me out."

"College is different than high school," West told her. "at least, that's what I've been told. It's a fresh start for everybody."

"Thanks," Martha replied.

The party ended around midnight, and I helped Peter, Caitlin, Nathan and my parents clean up.

"Whoa, are you all right?" Peter asked, when Nathan nearly stumbled, leaning heavily against the kitchen table.

"No," he grumbled. "I'm feeling pretty dizzy."

I took his arm, and insisted I bring him up to bed. "Get some rest," Mom encouraged. "we have plenty of advil in the medicine chest if you need it."

"Thank you," Nathan told her, and leaned against me as I brought him up the stairs.

"Did you have too much to drink?" I asked, once we reached the guest bedroom, and Nathan sat down on the edge of the mattress rubbing his face with his hands.

"I didn't have anything," he admitted. "just some water. I don't know what's going on."

"Maybe it's a reaction to the flu shot?" I suggested, and Nathan shook his head.

"I don't think so," he replied. "I've had the flu before, and this feels differen't. I can't really describe it, though."

"Well, as my Mom said, get some sleep," I encouraged, and he gave me a hug.

"I love you, Claire," he whispered, and I felt my heart nearly shatter. I knew he'd been struggling with this particular comment, because he hardly knew me, but I was glad he finally said it.

"I love you too," I replied, and he watched as I left the room, shutting the door behind me.

I went downstairs to join Peter and Caitlin, who were just finishing up in the living room. Balloons still dangled from the ceiling, and I shook my head when I approached my Uncle with narrowed eyes.

"Did I tell you how much of an asshole you were?" I asked, and he smirked.

"Many times, yes," he said. "but you're my favorite niece, and I wanted to do something special for your birthday."

"You convinced Nathan to come to California," I told him. "wasn't that enough?"

"God no," Peter chuckled. "Eighteenth birthday means party, and I wasn't about to deprive you of that."

"I forgive you this time," I replied, giving him a hug around the waist. "but I'm worried about Nathan."

"Oh?" Peter took a sip from a glass of water, and accepted a kiss from Caitlin, who announced that she would be going to bed. "Good night, sweetheart," he told her, and I smiled at his term of endearment.

"Love you," Caitlin added, and after embracing him tightly, she gave me a hug as well, and left the kitchen.

"He's been feeling off all week," I continued, "he thought it might be jet-lag related, but I think it's worse than that."

"Really?" Peter cleared his throat. "when you say Nate's been feeling off, how exactly do you mean?"

"He's had a bad headache for the past few days, and told me he's been feeling woozy. He wouldn't go into much more detail than that."

Peter shook his head, and after finishing the last of his water, cleaned out the cup and put it in the dish rack. "Well, we'll let Nathan sleep tomorrow and keep an eye on him. He's been working pretty hard lately, so maybe he's coming down with something. Nate's always been real stubborn when it comes to his health."

"Like you aren't?" I teased, and Peter made a face.

"Cute, munchkin," he muttered. "I'm glad your Mom offered up the second guest room for us tonight...I don't think I could safely get Caitlin and I back to LA. I had a few too many beers." he blinked a little, and I laughed.

"You're a closeted party animal," I said, and he winked.

"Don't you forget it,"he replied, and after wishing me good night, I decided to go up to bed myself. I heard Nathan coughing a little from behind the guest room door, and shook my head as I disappeared into my own room.

_That night the bad dreams came back, only this time intsead of hearing Nathan's yells for help, I saw him. He was trapped inside a large empty room with only a chair in the center, and the only connection to the real world he had was the large glass windows. I couldnt get in; the only door was locked, and wouldn't budge. When the lights went out and his screams grew more intense...I finally collapsed on the cement floor, breaking into tears. _

When I awoke, bright sunlight streamed through the windows, nearly blinding me as I struggled to sit up.

"Shit," I cursed, and rubbed my eyes, checking the clock on my nightstand. It was after ten; I still wasn't used to sleeping in yet.

After putting my robe on, I decided to check on Nathan, hoping he'd gotten up already. The guest room door remained shut, and I quietly pushed it open, finding him still curled up in bed.

"Nathan?" I spoke, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck prickle, as though an outside force were trying to tell me something was very wrong.

I walked further into the room, and felt his forehead. "Oh my God," I breathed. Nathan was burning up with a fever, and he only made a small noise at my touch. "Nathan, wake up..." I shook his shoulder, trying to get his attention, but when his eyes merely cracked open and appeared unfocused, I stepped back, my heart racing. "Peter..." I practically tripped over my own slippers, and bolted for the extra spare room. Peter and Caitlin were still sleeping as well, curled up in each other's arms, and I hated the idea of waking them. "Peter, get up!" I called, and my Uncle grunted in response, cringing a little. "Peter, please...it's Nathan...something's wrong," I added, and he sat up, untangling himself from Caitlin.

"What?" he muttered. "ow..." he rubbed his forehead. "Damn hangovers...ugh."

"Peter?" Caitlin muttered. "what time's it?"

"Claire, what...what is it?" Peter asked when I tried to drag him out of bed, and was eventually successful.

"I went to check on Nathan, and he's running a fever," I explained, and Peter's eyes widened. "he won't get up."

"Oh Christ," Peter cursed, and Caitlin watched as the two of us left the guest room, startled by the sudden change of events.

I drug Peter into the guest room where Nathan continued to lay in bed, the covers pulled tightly to his chin. "Nathan?" Peter spoke, and felt his brother's forehead just as I had, and looked at me. "Get your Dad," he encouraged, and I nodded, rushing downstairs. Mom was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and smiled at me when I entered.

"Good morning, sleepy head," she announced. "looks like everyone's catching up on beauty rest after a long night."

"Where's Dad?" I asked, and she looked at me, surprised.

"He had to go to work this morning," she announced, and I cursed, apologizing afterwards. "Honey, is everything okay?"

"No, it's not," I choked. "Nathan's sick. He's not responding to anything, and he's burning up."

"We don't need your father...we need an ambulence," Mom replied, and after turning off the stove, joined me in the rush upstairs. Peter was calling Nathan's name, trying to get him to respond, and he merely lay in a very lethargic state. "oh my God," Mom gasped. "when did this start?"

"Claire told me he was burning up this morning," Peter explained.

"He's been feeling sick all week," I said, and Mom shook her head.

"I'm going to call an ambulence," She announced, and I offered to sit with Nathan while Mom made the phone call, and Peter went to inform Caitlin of the situation and to change.

"Don't leave me," I begged, squeezing my biological father's hand, which was ice cold. "I love you, Dad." I added, just as Mom came back upstairs.

"The ambulence will be here in ten minutes," she announced. "Claire, honey, get dressed...I don't think you'll want to show up at the hospital in your PJ's."

I nodded, and bolted for my bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I was just slipping my sneakers on when the ambulence arrived, and the paramedics came in to take Nathan to the hospital. Peter stood watching as they put his brother on a stretcher, placing an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose.

"I want to go in the ambulence with him," I announced, and Peter looked at me, his eyes wide.

"Claire, I don't think that's a very good idea," Mom argued, and I whirled around.

"Mom, he came all the way to California to be with me, and I can't leave him!" I felt Peter take my arm, and he pulled me into a hug.

"Nathan isn't going to be alone, munchkin," Peter promised. "we're going to the hospital right now."

"That's not the same," I whispered, and when the paramedic gave me permission to ride in the back, Mom made me promise to be careful. "I will," I insisted, and followed the medics into the aumbulence. This was one adventure I'd never experienced, though I'd been through quite a bit in my short life. Nathan was barely conscious the entire ride, and I kept a tight hold on his hand, promising everything would be all right.

"His fever's pushing 104," one of the paramedic's announced, "and his pulse is racing. His pupils are dialated..."

I shut my own eyes, feeling tears well up in them. Why was this happening? I already had to put up with Peter's illness while I lived with him in New York, and now my biological father was getting sick.

We arrived at the hospital in thankfully a short period of time, and he was brought into a cubicle. I sat with him while several tests were run, and before I knew it, Peter arrived with my Mom and Caitlin.

"I called your father...he'll be here as soon as he can," Mom explained, and I could see the worry on Peter's face.

"Any word yet on what's wrong?" he asked, and I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself.

"No," I whispered. "the doctor ran some tests, but we haven't gotten any results back yet. Nathan's still really out of it--he's not unconscious, though."

"I called Heidi while we were on the way here," Peter explained, and I looked at him. "she's catching the next flight out here.

I couldn't believe it...I would be meeting Nathan's wife whom I'd heard so much about, though not in the best sitution.

"I'm sure she's completely freaked out," I said, and Peter hugged me. "are the kids coming?"

"No," Peter admitted. "she's leaving them with her mother. They would be bored just sitting around the hospital all day. Plus, we don't have any answers yet."

"Gotcha." I sniffed, feeling helpless. "I'll bring you in to see him," I added, and Peter followed after me. Peter stepped inside the cubicle once I lead him there, and I allowed him to spend some time alone with his brother. My Mom gave me a comforting hug in the meantime, knowing how devatstated I was.

"I'm so sorry about this, honey," she spoke in her quiet voice, and I choked on another sob. "they're going to take good care of him."

When Peter ducked out from the curtain, he called my name, and stated that Nathan was asking for me. "He is?" I sniffed. "he's awake?"

"Sort of," Peter admitted. "come on in. Are you two okay out here?" he asked Caitlin and my Mom, who promised they were fine and went to sit in the waiting room.

I joined my Uncle, and took Nathan's hand, once he held it out to me.

"Claire," he whispered, and I smiled. Peter stood off to the side, his arms folded, and eventually sat down on one of the small chairs.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, and Nathan swallowed, turning away for a second.

"Like hell," he muttered. "what happened?"

I glanced at Peter, who smiled faintly at me. "We don't know anymore than you do, Nathan," Peter admitted. "Claire tried to wake you up this morning and you had a pretty bad fever. Plus, you wouldn't really respond to us, so we brought you to the hospital."

Nathan cursed under his breath, and immediately started coughing. "Here," I said, offering a cup of water that sat on the table beside the cot, and helped him take a few sips.

"Thank you," he whispered, and I nodded. "my head feels like it's gonna split open. Jesus." he closed his eyes tightly, and I frowned.

"Nathan, I...I called Heidi on the way to the hospital," Peter explained, and Nathan's eyes widened.

"You what?" he asked, and I kept a firm hand on his shoulder, begging him not to move.

"I had to," Peter said, and Nathan groaned, massaging his forehead. His skin felt so warm from where I sat, which meant the fever still raged. "Nathan, she's your wife, and she deserves to know."

"Are the boys coming, too, I imagine?" Nathan asked, and Peter shook his head.

"She's leaving them with her mother," he explained, and Nathan sighed shakily. "she's catching the next plane to California, and I'll pick her up when she gets to the airport."

Nathan coughed again, and had that far-away look in his eyes again. "She loves you," I pointed out. "of course she'd want to come straight away." I pulled the blankets closer to his chin, and he immediately forced them back down.

"I'm too hot," he complained, and I raised my eyebrows, looking at Peter again.

"Just rest," I encouraged, and Nathan took a deep breath, just as the doctor came to check on us.

"We're going to move him to a regular room as soon as one opens up," he explained, and Nathan turned to face the newcomer, looking a bit supsicious.

"Do you have any idea what's wrong with him?" I asked, and the doctor listened to Nathan's heart and breathing.

"Not yet," the doctor admitted. "we should know in an hour or two."

"Great," Nathan muttered, and I squeezed his hand again. He gave me one of his small smiles, which only lasted a couple of seconds...he was overcome with coughing again.

"Sounds like he might be coming down with pneumonia or something," Peter suggested, and Dr. Mayberry shook his head.

"We'll find out soon enough. I'll be in again as soon as we can move him upstairs."

The doctor left, and I leaned back against my seat. "Claire, it's going to be okay," Peter told me, and I felt Nathan touch my cheek with his fingertips.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, and both of them stared.

"For what, sweetheart?" Nathan asked, and I shook my head, swallowing past a lump in my throat.

"If you hadn't come all the way to California, you wouldn't be here. I'm sure the time change didn't help anything."

Nathan asked Peter to step out for a few minutes, to give us time alone. "Claire, none of this is you're fault," he said after a bit, and I looked down at the mattress. "I don't want you blaming yourself. Besides, if I stayed back in New York, I would have been bogged down with work, and probably gotten sick anyway."

I tried to smile, but it was so hard. "I wish there was something I could do," I said, and he closed his eyes again.

"What you're doing is fine," he promised. "but I don't want you to sit in the hospital all day. I..." he paused to cough again, which resulted in difficulty taking a good breath. I squeezed his hand while he struggled, and it took several minutes before he could relax again.

"I'm not leaving," I told him.

Nathan's eyes drifted shut, and I could tell he was starting to drift again. "Daddy," I whispered, startled by how simply the word came out of my mouth. I felt as though I were living one of my nightmares, wherethere was absolutely nothing I could do to help him.

I needed to get some fresh air after a while, and made a phone call to West. I cried the entire time we talked, and he promised he would be there as soon as he could.

"I'm scared," I told him. "the doctor isn't telling us anything."

"Just sit tight, Claire," West encouraged. "I'm coming."

After we hung up, I hiccoughed, and leaned against the hospital building wall. Peter came outside to join me, and took a deep breath.

"This is the first time I've ever seen my brother like this," he admitted, and I looked at him, my eyes sore from tears. "ever. He's always been the strong one, taking care of me, and now..." Peter shrugged, and I hugged him.

"Peter," I sniffed, and my Uncle kissed the top of my head as he had so many times in the past...it was such a comforting gesture.

"You're really growing up so fast," he told me, and I smiled. "I can't believe you're already eighteen. Seems like yesterday when I first saw you in Unionville High School."

"Me either," I admitted. "I can't believe it's been three years since we first met. I'm still shocked Nathan got me a car for my birthday, though--I wouldn't have expected something so flashy, considering when he first heard I was alive, he wanted nothing to do with me."

Peter chuckled. "Nathan's pretty good when it comes to getting gifts," he admitted. "he never forgot my birthday, even if we'd go for months without talking."

"I just can't imagine loosing him," I said, and Peter kept an arm around my shoulders. "not when we're finally starting to know each other." _And trust each other, _I added...that was a huge plus.

"We're not going to," he said. "Claire, we're going to do everything we can to make sure he gets better. I'm not giving my brother up to anybody, even if he can be a pain in the ass. Trust me, Nathan doesn't let stuff get him down very easily. He'll get through this."

I smirked at the comment, just as West pulled up in his jeep a few minutes later. Peter encouraged me to meet my boyfriend, whose arms I leapt into gratefully once he parked and got out of the car.

"I'm so sorry about your Dad, Claire," West whispered, as he held me close and stroked my hair gently.

"Me too," I choked, and West waved shyly to Peter, who returned the gesture.

"How are you doing?" he asked, once we went inside, and said hello to my Mom and Caitlin. They were waiting patiently in the lobby; Mom had a magazine spread on her lap.

"Not so good," I admitted.

"West, thank you for coming," Mom said, giving him a hug, and he nodded.

"Anytime, Mrs. Bennett," he promised. "I'll stay as long as she needs me."

I smiled at him, and asked if he wanted to see Nathan. "Are you sure it's not weird?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"We're all practically family now," I promised, and West gave a smile this time. I brought him into the cubicle, where Nathan had fallen asleep again, and the two of us sat down on the padded chairs for a while.

"It's good that you and your biological Dad get along so well," West whispered, after we sat in silence, not wanting to disturb Nathan in the least. He needed to sleep, clearly.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I'm proud to be his daughter."

"Is it true he's a senator in the US congress?" West asked, and I nodded. "so technically you're a senator's daughter...wow, big shot," he teased, and I jokingly punched him on the arm.

"Claire?" Mom knocked gently on the cubicle flap, and I peeked out. "Your Dad's on his way. He managed to get out a bit early."

I sighed with relief, and leaned against West. "Thank God," I breathed, and allowed my boyfriend to hold me close.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When Dad arrived at the hospital, Peter, West and I were sitting in Nathan's cubicle, keeping a vigil. The doctor finally came with the results from the blood tests, and discovered that so far neither of the usual illnesses came up. "He does have some type of infection," Dr. Mayberry told us, "That much is clear. But the organism is so small, our microscopes have not been able to catch it. We're going to have to send a new sample to a different lab we use."

"Would you mind if I took a look?" Dad asked, and Dr. Mayberry looked at him, startled.

"Excuse me?" he asked, and I cleared my throat, standing up.

"My Dad works for a scientific research corporation," I explained, trying to sound as truthful as possible.

"I would have to see some identification and get approval from your supervisor," Dr. Mayberry replied, and I raised my eyebrows at Peter and West. Peter looked exhausted, but didn't complain once the entire time we sat in the hospital.

"Will do," Dad replied, and I stared at him.

"Otherwise, we are just going to go ahead and submit these samples to the other laboratory. And I'm afraid all of you can't be in here at once...I highly recommend only one or two people at a time. Sometimes patients get upset if there are too many people."

Dad nodded in understanding, and winked at me before thanking Dr. Mayberry.

"Clairebear, can we talk for a few minutes?" he asked, and I looked at Nathan, not wanting to leave his side.

"We'll stay," Peter promised, and shooed me out, and I followed my Dad through the sliding doors.

"What?" I asked, and he looked at me.

"I'm going to get Nathan's samples," he explained, and my mouth fell open. "we're going to find out what this is. Clearly it's not going to be detected under normal hospital radar, not with his body composition."

"But if we don't find out what's causing this, he could die," I exclaimed, and Dad covered my mouth with one hand, begging me to keep it down.

"Claire, have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" he asked, and I raised an eyebrow with disbelief. "all right, I'm sorry, but I have only tried to do my best to keep you safe. I promise, I am going to do whatever it takes to cure Nathan. You just have to have faith in me, okay?" he asked, and I sighed, folding my arms.

"I just don't want you to get caught," I muttered. "then we'll all be screwed."

"Point taken," he replied, keeping his voice low. "but I haven't been caught yet."

I gave my Dad a hug, grateful that I had him on my side, grateful that he didn't hate my biological family. I never thought him capable of hating anyone, except maybe those who were after me for research purposes, and Sylar, of course.

"When are you going to..." I raised my eyebrows, trying not to alert anyone that we were about to do something extremely illegal.

"After visiting hours are over, of course," he replied, "and preferably once Nathan's settled into a room."

"Good plan," I agreed. "if you need someone to cause a diversion, you know who to ask."

Dad patted my shoulder, and encouraged me to go back inside.

Nathan wasn't brought up to a regular room until almost four hours passed, which seemed utterly ridiculous in my opinion. His fever remained at a steady 104, and once he lay under the covers in a more comfortable bed, I filled a bowl with cool water and grabbed a wash cloth from the bathroom.

"Claire, are you planning to spend the night?" Mom asked, as she watched me blot Nathan's forehead and cheeks with the damp cloth. He shivered under my touch, his lips dry and cracked from lack of fluid. He needed water, but I didn't want to give him any while he wasn't conscious.

"Yes," I replied, my voice very firm, and she sighed.

"You should at least have something to eat, honey. It's dinnertime. Can I bring you something from the cafeteria?"

I shook my head, my appetite next to nothing. "I'm not hungry," I muttered, and she came over to where I sat, touching my shoulder.

"I'm going to bring you something anyway," she replied. "you can't go an entire day without food in your stomach."

"Fine," I grumbled, and she touched my face.

"At least remember to get some rest tonight," she begged. "or you're going to make yourself sick as well. I'll see if a cot can't be brought up for you."

I thanked her, barely recognzing my own voice. Nathan tossed and turned under the covers, clearly not sleeping as peacefully as I would have liked.

"Shhhsh," I soothed, just as my Mom felt his forehead, clucking her tongue.

"I'll be back, honey," she promised, and I watched as she left, watching as Peter came in.

"Did you want some company tonight?" he asked, and I looked at him wearily. "I don't like the idea of you staying here by yourself."

"I'll be fine," I promised, and he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Well, if you're sure, I'm going to head out," he replied. "I'll be back in the morning. If you need me, call," he encouraged, and I nodded, accepting a kiss on the cheek. Peter then made his way to Nathan's other side, and bent down to whisper, "I love you, Nate," into his older brother's ear. Nathan merely turned his head in the opposite direction, facing me, and Peter sighed. "Love you too, munchkin," he added, and I smiled, watching as he disappeared.

When I was alone again, I took Nathan's hand, and placed it against my cheek. I was definitely tired, no doubt about it, but I was afraid if I fell asleep my father would die. He would be gone forever, and I wouldn't get to say goodbye...the very idea terrified me.

Mom returned with a sandwich, a cup of soup, and a bottle of iced tea. She set everything down on the night stand, encouraging me to eat if I did feel hungry.

"Thanks," I said, and she gave me a hug.

"You know you can always call if you are ready to come home," she promised, and I nodded.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I will." I already knew Dad would be back at some point to get Nathan's blood samples, but he didn't tell me exactly what time. I knew visiting hours ended around 8:00, though I had been given special permission by Dr. Mayberry to spend the night. The fact that I was adopted by the Bennetts and had just been reunited with my biological father helped a lot, and for the first time I appreciated my current circumstances.

"Good night, sweetheart," Mom added, and I watched as she left as well, shutting the door quietly behind her.

That night had to be the longest ever; Dad text messaged my cell phone when he was preparing to break into the hospital's testing lab. Peter had come along as well in order to create a diversion (using his invisibility powers of course), so I wouldn't have to leave Nathan's side during the ordeal. Peter gave me a hug and kiss once both men arrived to the room, and asked if I were okay.

"I'm fine," I promised. "Oh my God, Dad," I snorted with laughter once I got a good look at his costume.

"You mean I can't pull off a medical professional?" he asked, and I smirked.

"Hardly," I admitted, and he glanced uncomfortably at Nathan, who had only woken up once or twice since I'd been alone with him. Sometimes he knew me, and sometimes he didn't...I hoped my Dad would be successful in finding a cure for Nathan's illness. It broke my heart to see him so miserable, even if I'd only come in contact with my biological father recently.

"There are always security guards stationed down there," he whispered. "so that's who you're going to have to distract."

"How?" I asked, and he looked over his shoulder.

"Leave that to us," Dad replied, and I glanced at Peter. "I'll have Peter come and let you know once everything's been taken care of."

I nodded, grateful they weren't making me leave my post.

"Be careful," I whispered, once Peter disappeared, and my Dad casually strolled out, checking both ways before turning to the right. When both were gone, I peered into Nathan's sleeping face, wishing more than anything that I could take this away from him.

Two hours passed, and when Peter appeared again at my side, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Sorry," he apologized, his voice low, and I scowled.

"Did everything go okay?" I asked, and he nodded, glancing over his shoulder.

"Yeah, but we had a few close calls," he admitted. "he's on his way to the company lab now."

"Now?" I hissed, just as Nathan let out a groan, followed by a fit of coughing. Both my Uncle and I stared at him expectantly, relieved when he settled down after a couple of seconds.

"Yes...we can't wait," Peter replied, and touched my shoulder. "are you sure you don't want me here tonight?"

I shook my head. "No," I said. "it's too risky. They know I'm staying, but there might be a problem if they find you here tomorrow morning. Visiting hours don't start until nine."

"Technicalities," Peter chuckled, and pulled me into a tight hug. "Just call me if you need anything," he encouraged. "or text me if it's easier."

"I will," I promised. "Love you," I added, and watched as he vanished before my eyes, listening to his footsteps as they trailed quickly out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After my Dad and Peter left for the night, the hospital seemed silent as a tomb. The only noise came from the heart monitor, which beeped steadily, and the oxygen pumping into Nathan's lungs. He didn't move for a long time, so it was a wonder that I didn't drop off to sleep due to sheer boredom.

The night nurse came in every couple of hours to check his temperature and other vitals, smiling at me when she did so.

"You're being very brave, honey," she complimented after her third visit, and I shrugged. "Most people your age wouldn't think of doing something like this."

"I'm not most people," I replied simply, and she nodded in understanding, though it was clear she had no clue what I was talking about.

I did fall asleep early in the morning, and only woke up when there was a knock on the hospital room door. Grunting in surprise I lifted my head, and immediately recognized the face peering through the narrow window. Heidi, Nathan's wife, had arrived.

I remembered the photo Nathan showed me from his wallet while I was still living with Peter, and she hadn't changed very much at all.

Yawning and stretching, I stood up and went to let her in, stepping back after I opened the door. Heidi rushed through and immediately stood at her husband's side, grasping his hand.

"Nathan," she gasped, and looked at me. "You must be Claire," she added, and I folded my hands in front of me, not sure how to respond.

"Yeah," I answered, and offered one of mine for a shake. Heidi accepted the gesture, before turning her attention back to her husband. "How was your flight?" the tension in the room had gotten significantly high, and I could tell Heidi was uncomfortable with me. Nathan had told her I existed, of course, but I was sure actually meeting me in person had a whole other effect.

"Fine," she replied. "I wish I could have come sooner, but it's a nightmare when you're trying to book a ticket at the last minute." She felt Nathan's forehead, smoothing his cheek with the back of her hand. It was heart breaking to watch, and I wished Peter was here. He would know how to deal with her, especially considering he worked with hospice patients and their families for a while.

"You got here as soon as you could," I said. "That's more than he could ask for."

"Did the doctor say anything? Have they found any answers yet?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"No," I said. "They ran a bunch of tests, and are almost positive he has some kind of infection. They had to send the blood samples to another lab, so I'm hoping we'll find out in a few days."

Heidi closed her eyes for a second, and lowered her head. "Jesus," she muttered under her breath. "He seemed fine when he left for California. A little tired, but he's been working so hard with the campaign and everything. I never would have imagined…" she sniffed, and I fiddled with the pendant West had gotten me for my birthday, not sure of what to say.

Thankfully Peter arrived a short time later with breakfast, and I realized right then how hungry I felt. My Mom tried to bribe me with dinner the night before, but I only ate part of the meal.

"Hi, Heidi," Peter greeted, embracing his sister-in-law, and held her for a couple of moments. "I'm so sorry about all of this."

"It's not your fault," Heidi promised.

"I see you've met Claire," Peter added, and I raised an eyebrow at him, wanting to disappear through a hole in the floor. I didn't like the way Heidi looked at me, as though I were an alien from outer space.

"Yes, I have," Heidi told him with a smile. "She doesn't look at all like Nathan, does she?"

"I think I look more like my Mom," I admitted, and Peter cleared his throat, putting an arm around my shoulders.

"Heidi, do you mind if Claire and I step out into the hall for a few minutes?" He asked, and Nathan's wife gave a shake of her head, watching as we left, shutting the door behind us.

"How are you doing, Munchkin?" Peter asked, and I massaged my temples wearily.

"I don't know," I told him.

"Did anything happen last night?" Peter eyed me curiously, knowing I tended to keep a lot of my feelings to myself.

"No," I replied. "nothing significant. He was asleep most of the time. I just…I don't know." I raised my arms, and Peter hugged me tight.

"It's Heidi, right?" he asked, and I looked at him.

"She looks at me like I'm the cause of all this," I muttered, and Peter frowned. "She hardly said a word once I let her in the room after we had the formal introductions."

"I'm not sure what you were expecting, really," Peter replied.

"I guess you're right," I muttered. "I guess I figured we'd get along, because Nathan told her all about me and said she was cool with the whole situation."

Peter wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and gave me an encouraging squeeze. "Just keep being yourself, Munchkin, and she'll come to trust you by and by," he promised, and I smiled. "If she doesn't, well, that's her loss." He kissed the top of my head. "Now, I insist you go straight on home and get some sleep. You shouldn't be here all the time, even though I know you're worried."

I wrapped my arms around myself…the idea of leaving Nathan was a horrible thought, especially if he was on the brink of death.

"I don't know," I whispered, and Peter cleared his throat.

"Let me put it this way," he continued, "give Heidi some time alone with her husband. She's been on a plane for six hours, maybe more depending on when she got to the airport, and is probably worried half out of her mind. It won't do you any good passing out from exhaustion."

I sighed heavily, knowing if I argued I wouldn't get anywhere. "I'll go home for a few hours," I agreed, and Peter nodded with approval.

"I promise to call you if anything changes," he told me.

"Only one problem," I added, "I didn't drive myself here."

Peter laughed. "I'll take you home," he insisted. "Let me just tell Heidi what the deal is, and we'll head out."

I walked back into the room with him, and watched as Heidi whispered into Nathan's ear, words I couldn't understand from where I stood. I hoped he knew his wife had come, and on some level I was sure he did.

"I'm going to drop Claire off at home for a while," He announced, and Heidi glanced at me.

"Okay," she replied in a quiet voice, and smiled for the first time since we met. "It was good to meet you, Claire."

"You too," I answered, and Peter allowed me to say goodbye to Nathan for the time being.

"I promise I'll come back," I said. "I love you."

I could feel Heidi's eyes on me as I kissed Nathan's forehead, and stood, allowing Peter to lead me away. My own eyes filled with tears as we were in his car heading back to my parent's house, and I couldn't help but start to sob.

"Hey," Peter soothed. "Hey, none of that, Munchkin." When we pulled to a stop light, he stroked my hair, and squeezed my arm. "It's going to be all right. We're going to do everything we can to beat this thing."

"You don't know that," I whispered.

"I know Nathan's been in trouble before, and he's always managed to get out of it no matter how tough," Peter answered, and I nodded, dragging the back of my hand across my nose.

When we arrived at my house, Mom immediately greeted me with hugs and kisses, asking if I were hungry or just wanted to go to bed.

"I think I'm just going to go to bed," I replied. "It's been a long night." First, though, I had to call West, who was probably worried sick about me. I hadn't spoken with him since the previous morning after Nathan got sick, which was a rarity for me.

"All right, honey. Just get some sleep," Mom encouraged. "Thank you, Peter," she added to my Uncle, who promised it was no trouble. After giving him a hug and kiss, I tore up the steps, entering my bedroom. It was strange, thinking Nathan had been staying here before all of the drama…the bed had been made, and knowing my Mom, the sheets probably stripped and replaced.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, and pulled my cell from my purse. I didn't want to be here at all; I wanted to be back at the hospital watching Nathan.

A few moments later I'd sent a message to West, promising him I was okay, and had just stopped home for a short bit to get some sleep. I set the phone on my nightstand after hitting "send", and lay down on top of my quilt. I could hear Mom moving about downstairs as she took care of her daily cleaning, with Mr. Muggles yapping at her heels.

I don't know how long it took me to doze off, but by the time I woke up it was nearly six that evening. Startled by how much time passed, I immediately shot up, and reached for my cell. No text messages were on my screen, which meant nothing with Nathan had changed very much.

Cursing, I stumbled to the floor, and immediately went downstairs where I could smell spaghetti and meatballs cooking in the kitchen.

"Ah, there you are," Mom greeted with a smile, and I saw Lyle sitting in front of the TV. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, and I rubbed my eyes, a little dazed.

"Why did you let me sleep so long?" I croaked, and she chuckled.

"Claire, you needed it," she replied. "Oh, and West stopped by to see you, but I told him you would call when you woke up."

"Got it," I said, and let out a loud yawn, excusing myself. "Smells good, Mom," I complimented, and asked if I could help.

"I think I have everything under control here," she promised. "dinner should be ready in about a half hour, so I would give your boyfriend a call before he starts to worry."

Lyle began making kissing noises from the couch, and I made a face at him before heading up to my bedroom again.

I called West, taking a deep breath…I wasn't sure what to say to him. I knew no more than he did about Nathan, and it was frustrating.

"I thought you'd died or something," West teased once we finally connected, and I smirked. "Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded, as though he were in the room.

"Yeah," I insisted. "a little tired…I slept for half a day."

"Your Mom said." There was a pause. "Anymore news about your father's condition?"

"No," I muttered. "I haven't gotten any calls from Peter, who promised to keep me updated. Nathan's wife just flew in this morning from New York so she's there now," I added, the old tension starting to fill up inside of me.

"Oh damn," West said with a sigh. "how did that go?"

"Not too well," I admitted. "We hardly said a word to each other. Thankfully Peter came in before it got too awkward."

"That sucks," West told me. "Listen, are you going back to the hospital tonight?" he asked. "I could come with you this time if you wanted company."

"I don't know," I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I probably will, but I'll definitely tell you if I do go back."

"Awesome. Well, I've gotta go…it's almost time for dinner. I love you, Claire."

"Love you too," I replied, my heart racing, and listened as he hung up. After speaking with my boyfriend, I decided to text message Peter in case he'd forgotten to update me with any news.

I didn't go back to the hospital that night, because shortly after dinner I fell asleep on the couch, and Mom didn't bother waking me.

Peter sent me a text message the next morning, which stated Nathan seemed to be getting worse. _The doctor's worried about his fever, and how even after the IV drip has been going on for this amount of time it's not letting up. _

I felt my heart racing with anxiety, and hoped my Dad would find answers soon. _Any word from my Dad? _I replied, and prepared to get myself ready for another trip to the hospital. It was a grey morning, and though it wasn't raining yet, the clouds were dark and menacing. I even saw hints of lightening in the distance, which meant a storm was on the way.

_Nothing yet. Are you coming today, and did you want me to get you? Weather's looking pretty brutal. _

I smiled at my Uncle's concern, and insisted I would be fine…I'd driven in heavy rain before.

_Yeah, but not when you're a nervous wreck, _was Peter's final answer, and I told him to shut up afterward.

I called West to be safe, though, and he met me within minutes before I decided to leave.

"Be extra careful on the road, honey," Mom begged. "I was listening to the weather, and looks like we're getting a pretty bad storm this afternoon."

"I will, Mom," I promised, and after she gave me a hug and kiss, I led my boyfriend through the front door.

"I wonder if anything like this will happen to the rest of us," He thought out loud once we were in the car, and I pulled out of the driveway. My car still smelled brand new, considering I'd only gotten it two days ago, and hardly sat inside for more than an hour tops.

"I don't know," I admitted.

"Probably not to you," West chuckled, "considering you heal yourself."

I don't know why his comment startled me, but I nearly crashed into the curb when I had a sudden epiphany.

"Watch it!" West exclaimed, just as I slammed on the brakes, and he stared at me, horrified. "What the hell was that for?" he asked, and I took a deep breath, just as the sky opened up and the rain began to splash heavily against my windows.

"Sorry," I apologized. "But you may have just found a way to save Nathan's life. I don't know why I didn't think of it before!"

"Think of what?" West asked.

"Well, as you said, I can heal myself. That's my ability, as my Dad calls it," I replied. "what if I have the ability to heal other people, too? I mean, think about it. Peter absorbed my power using his mind, but maybe the other heroes who can't do that need me to help them manually."

West opened his mouth for a second as though he were about to disprove my theory, and then closed it.

"I don't really get it," he said, and I blew out my breath.

"Maybe I can give Nathan some of my blood."

"Like through a transfusion?" West asked, his eyes wide, and I smirked.

"Obviously," I replied. "How else would he get it?"

"I guess it's worth a shot," West agreed. "That is, if you can convince your Dad to let you try."

"I think he'll be willing to try anything at this point," I told West, and with that, pulled back into traffic again.

We arrived at the hospital about ten minutes later, and I found Heidi in the room with Nathan again. I couldn't believe she'd spent the night there, but she told me Peter put her in a hotel across the street.

"Oh good," I replied.

"Claire, I wanted to apologize for my behavior towards you when we first met," She said, once West and I were sitting down, and I stared. "I was extremely rude, and I'm sorry."

"That's…that's okay," I insisted, glancing at West, who shrugged. "You were upset."

"I just wish we had a chance to meet for the first time in better circumstances," she sighed, and I smiled, relieved that her attitude the other day had not been intentional. "I kept telling Nathan to invite you to stay with us in New York, but with his schedule and everything…it never worked out."

"I'm sure I'll get to come at some point," I insisted.

"I hope so," Heidi replied, and she smiled for the first time. "Nathan woke up this morning," she added, and I raised my eyes with alarm. "But only for a couple of minutes. I don't think he recognized me." Her lips quivered a little, and I could tell this was extremely hard on her.

"What did he say?" I asked, for the last time Nathan had been conscious, he and I talked for a bit before he went under again.

"Not very much," Heidi said quietly. "His eyes were open, but they were really unfocused. He looked as if he were trying to talk, but no sound came out."

"Wow," West breathed. "this is pretty bad, then." He shuddered.

I hated to be the one to tell Heidi about Nathan's power, because I didn't know how aware she was about the situation.

"Has the doctor been in?"I asked, trying to keep the conversation as basic as possible, not wanting to give much away.

"Just once, and he…he isn't sure if…" Heidi paused, and I swore she was going to break down.

"He's going to be okay," I encouraged, walking over to her, and put my hand on her shoulder.

"I'm trying to believe that," she whispered.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized. "I completely forgot you were in the room, West."

"That's fine," He laughed quietly. "I'm just here for moral support."

"Heidi, this is my boyfriend West," I introduced him to her, and the two shook hands.

"A pleasure," she said, and he nodded. "Well, you two may as well sit down…there's not much to be done except watch and wait."

I did as she suggested, hoping my Dad or Peter would come soon. I needed someone to confide my idea to, and Heidi was definitely not that person.

My Dad did come, looking grave, and I could tell he wasn't having any success in finding a cure yet.

"I might have an idea, Dad," I announced, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, at this point I'm willing to hear anything," he sighed, and I encouraged him to join me in the hallway…Heidi had taken West to the cafeteria so they could get something to eat and drink for lunch.

I explained the idea of my blood being a possible cure for ailments in our kind, and he looked horrified.

"Dad, we don't have any room to mess around," I begged. "The doctor told Heidi Nathan is probably going to die from the fever if a cure isn't found soon. Please…let me at least try to help."

I could see in my Dad's face that he was trying to think of an alternative, but losing the battle quickly.

"He's my family, Dad," I choked. "I don't want to lose him again."

"It doesn't mean your current living arrangements will change, Claire," Dad sighed, and I nodded.

"I know," I agreed. "But I just have to do something. I have to at least try. And the worst that'll happen is I'll lose a pint of blood. People give it all the time to those red cross drives, so I don't see the difference here."

Dad rubbed a hand over his face, and looked at the ceiling for a moment. "I think we should tell Peter about this first," he announced, "since he's your legal guardian as well. I want to make sure we're all on the same page."

"I'll call him right now," I insisted. "I doubt he'll say no. And let's face it, Dad…I'm a last resort at this point."

He nodded, encouraging me to call my Uncle.

As I hoped, Peter was in agreement to this, but wanted to be there when it happened.

"We're going to have to do this in secret, you realize, Claire," he told me, and I nodded. "I doubt Nathan's doctor will take kindly to using your blood. It's not like he's lost any of his own."

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Put your Dad on the phone," Peter added, and I handed my cell over as instructed, folding my arms while I waited.

Eventually my Dad hung up with Peter, and looked at me seriously.

"Okay," he began. "We're going to have to treat this all very casually. We'll go through the motions today, and send Heidi home once visiting hours are over. I'll send you home, too, and you'll come back in with Peter once I get all of the equipment we'll need."

I nodded, grinning. "Thank you," I breathed, and embraced him.

"Let's just hope to God this works," Dad muttered.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I sat with Heidi and West on in Nathan's room for the remainder of that afternoon, listening to the rain as it pattered against the windows. Thunder boomed, and lightning flashes illuminated my father's already pale face.

At one point in the early evening, Nathan's fever had gone up so drastically, that they had to give him an ice bath. Heidi stood by her husband's side for every ordeal, trying so hard to put on a brave front. When he wasn't getting an ice water bath, she used a cool compress on his forehead and cheeks, whispering words of encouragement into his ear on a regular basis.

"I've never seen a fever so persistent," the doctor told us shortly before visiting hours ended. "His heart is very weak. I would prepare yourselves…he may not last the night," he added, and Heidi choked on tears, grasping my hand tightly in hers.

"Oh my God," she whispered, and I gave her a hug, keeping my eyes on Nathan's shivering form in the bed.

It was more difficult than we thought trying to convince Heidi that she needed to go back to the hotel and rest, but Peter finally did so. I nearly cried when Heidi told Nathan how much she loved him, and begged him to hold on for her and the boys. When I looked at Peter, I could see tears in his eyes, and immediately went to stand with him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and held me close, kissing the top of my head.

He drove her back to the hotel around 8:30, and I stood waiting for further instructions.

Just as before, when my Dad stole Nathan's blood samples from the hospital lab, he encouraged me to stay put.

"It isn't actually necessary for you to go home and come back," he explained when I inquired. "But stay here, stay quiet, and drink plenty of this." He handed me a quart of orange juice, which he'd gotten from the supermarket.

"Okay," I replied, raising an eyebrow at it.

"Just in case, we're going to treat you like a normal blood donor. I don't want to risk you're safety by accident."

I nodded, popping the cap, and took a sip from the bottle. "That's refreshing," I gasped once I finished for the time being, and Dad smirked at my comment.

"I'll be back in about two hours," he whispered. "Peter's going to stand guard." He pointed to the window, and I realized my Uncle was there, but invisible.

"Are you going to dress up in scrubs again?" I asked, keeping hold of Nathan's hand, which was ice cold.

"That's the only safe way to handle this," Dad replied. "Just sight tight, sweetheart. I'll be back soon. Peter's here if you need help."

I nodded, thanking my Dad again for doing this. I knew it made him uncomfortable that my biological father was now part of my life, and he would never be my only father again. As Nathan told me that morning in the diner, he hadn't earned the title of "father", and though Noah Bennett wasn't my blood relation, he was more of a parent than Nathan would probably ever be.

The clock seemed to tick ridiculously slow, as I waited, hoping everything would go smoothly. I wanted Nathan to get well, and hoped I was right in the sense that my blood contained healing powers for all heroes.

Sure enough, around ten thirty, Dad arrived wearing his usual scrub nurse costume. He had equipment in a satchel for drawing blood, though informed me the easiest and less dramatic way would to be an injection through a needle.

"Ow," I hissed after he opened the bag, and realized how stupid I sounded. I'd been through a lot worse than a single needle prick, and survived. However, just because I could heal myself from any injury, didn't mean I couldn't feel pain during the process.

"Did you drink all of that OJ?" Dad asked in a quiet voice, and I nodded, rolling up the sleeve of my hooded sweatshirt. "Actually, you might want to take that off if you have a t-shirt on underneath," he suggested, and I did just that. "Okay. Alert me if you see anyone coming outside," he added, and began to rub alcohol on my skin, preparing for the injection.

I gritted my teeth after he stuck the needle in, trying not to make a sound. It didn't hurt as much as I predicted, and I watched, fascinated, as my blood seeped out.

After he finished drawing what he needed, my Dad encouraged me to go to the other side of the bed, in case Nathan woke up in a panic during the process. "He shouldn't wake up for this, but you never know," Dad muttered, and I kept hold of Nathan's arm, peering into his face. He was deep in sleep, the fever having took hold quite some time ago.

When we thought we heard something, both of us jumped, and peered through the hospital door window.

"Nobody," I breathed, and Dad sighed with relief.

"I hope I won't have to do something like this again for a while," he grumbled. "So much for laying low."

I smirked at the comment, and watched as he did the same for Nathan as for me, only he would be putting something in rather than taking it out.

I held my breath, wondering how long it would take before anything happened.

"There." Dad finished the injection, and bandaged Nathan's arm, as he didn't heal quickly like I did.

"Now we wait," I replied, and Dad nodded, starting to pack up his equipment.

Five minutes passed before Nathan gave a cough, followed by a gasp. Both of us stared at him, watching as his dark eyes fluttered open.

"Nathan?" I asked, startled, and he turned his head towards me.

"Claire?" he croaked.

"Oh my God," I sobbed, and Dad beamed.

"My little Clairebear's a genius," he complimented, just as I felt Nathan's forehead, and discovered the fever had left him completely. He looked exhausted, as though he'd just run a marathon, but the color swiftly returned to his cheeks.

"What's happened to me?" he croaked, and I looked at my Dad, who removed his cap and face mask.

"You were really sick," I explained. "With some kind of infection. We used my blood to heal you."

Nathan stared at me, speechless for a few moments. "Wow…how long was I out?" he asked, and I shook my head.

"At least three days," Peter replied. "The doctor wasn't sure you were going to make it."

Nathan swallowed, and looked up at the ceiling. I could tell this was a lot for him to take in, considering he was unconscious for most of the ordeal.

"You need to get some rest," my Dad announced. "We're not supposed to be here right now…either of us."

"I want to stay," I said, and Nathan looked at me.

"Claire, I don't want you here all night. It's not healthy."

"But…" I argued, and I felt all three of my relative's eyes on me at once.

"I'll bring you back in the morning," Peter promised, and my Dad gave a nod.

"Can I speak with my daughter alone, please?" Nathan asked, and I could see my Dad's shoulders stiffening a little.

"Not too long," he warned, and encouraged Peter to follow him into the hallway. I saw both of them duck into a corner so they wouldn't be caught accidentally, and I sat by Nathan's bedside.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded.

"You're wife is in California," I explained. "I don't know if you could tell."

"I thought I was dreaming," Nathan admitted. "It was the strangest feeling. I knew I was alive, but my body didn't want to function."

"I sat with you as much as I could," I said, and he smiled faintly. "I couldn't leave you alone, Nathan. Not before Heidi got here, anyway."

"You didn't have to do that," Nathan told me.

"Yes, I did," I replied. "You flew 3,000 miles to see me on my birthday. I was so scared you were going to die, and the last thing I wanted was to miss the chance to say goodbye if you had." I sniffed hard.

"Claire," Nathan whispered, and I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face against his chest. "It's all right, honey." He smoothed my hair. "It's all right."

I cleared my throat once I sat up again, a little dizzy from my sudden outpour of emotions. "Sorry," I apologized, wiping the tears from my cheeks, and he offered the box of tissues from the nightstand.

"You've been through a lot over the past week. Your Dad's right…you need to go home and get some sleep. I'll be okay now."

I nodded, and squeezed his arm. "I love you," I said, and he nodded.

"I love you, too. I'll see you in the morning," he added, and I quickly made my exit. Peter took my hand once the three of us met, and didn't let go until we reached the parking lot.

"You did us proud tonight, Munchkin," he said, picking me up into his arms and embracing me as though I were a young child. He let me down a few seconds later, and I smiled, though was too tired to do much else.

"Thanks," I whispered, and Dad touched my shoulder, leading me to the car.

When I got home, I text messaged West, informing him that my blood "transfusion" had worked, and my father's fever had disappeared entirely.

_I'm dating a miracle worker, _West replied, and I grinned at the comment.

_I doubt I'm that good, but it was a lucky shot. _I gave a loud yawn, announcing that I would be going to bed, and returning to the hospital in the morning.

_Do the doctor's know about this? _West asked, and I responded they didn't, that gave him my blood in secret.

West again complimented me on my success, said he loved me, and wished me good night.

I fell asleep a short time later, and for the first time in over two weeks, didn't experience a single nightmare.

The doctor who had been caring for Nathan was absolutely startled by the drastic change in his patient's condition. "He had a fever of 105 last night," he muttered. "How could he have recovered so quickly? Doesn't seem possible!"

"Well, as they say, science can only go so far, and then there's God," Peter explained, and the doctor merely nodded, though insisted Nathan remain in the hospital for the rest of the week.

"I don't want to risk a relapse," He said when Nathan tried to protest, insisting he felt well enough to be released. "If your fever doesn't return by Friday, I'll authorize your release. But for now, I insist you stay in bed and rest."

Heidi was ecstatic to find her husband sitting up in bed when she came, and immediately kissed his lips. "Oh thank God," she sobbed, as the two of them held each other. "I was terrified, Nathan. You were so sick. The doctor wanted us to prepare for your funeral, but I couldn't…"

"Shhhsh," Nathan soothed, and winked at me. "Shhhhsh." He coughed a little, and Heidi released herself from his grasp, insisting she call their sons and update them on their father's condition.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," she promised, due to the fact that they couldn't use cell phones in the hospital.

When she was gone, I looked at him. "Does she know about any of this?" I asked, and Nathan shook his head.

"No," he admitted. "She saw me fly once, but that was shortly before her car accident. I brushed it off as an illusion, and didn't want to frighten her."

"You've never really accepted this, have you?" I asked, and Nathan smiled.

"I guess not," he replied. "I just…hated that I was so different from everyone else, especially being in my position. The last thing I wanted was word to get out that I was some sort of freak."

"I know what you mean," I muttered. "I hated my power, too, when I first found out about it. I used to video tape myself jumping off of stuff, stabbing myself in the chest, you name it. I just…I was really insecure about the whole situation; because I thought I was the only one in the world who could do something this crazy."

"How do you feel now?" Nathan asked, and I shrugged.

"I've grown to accept it," I said.

"That's good. I guess I have, too, but I've never made a huge show of my ability. Only in extreme circumstances." He took a deep breath, gazing at the ceiling. "I don't know what I'm going to do laying in this hospital bed for five more days."

I laughed at his comment, and squeezed his hand. "You're going to be fine," I promised. "I'll come every day and keep you company. Plus your wife'll be here, too, and Peter I'm sure."

"That's true," he agreed.

Heidi eventually returned, looking much happier, and sat down on the chair beside the bed. "The boys send their love," she announced. "they're relieved, naturally. How are you feeling? The doctor said he was amazed you recovered so fast, but I'm not going to argue with a miracle."

Nathan smiled and adjusted himself against the pillows. "Much better," he replied. "Just tired, but that's probably normal."

"What were you and Claire talking about?" Heidi asked, just as the nurse came in with the breakfast tray.

"There is plenty of food in the hospital cafeteria if you two are interested," she offered, and Heidi looked at me.

"Not yet," I admitted. "Thanks, though."

Once the nurse set Nathan up, he thanked her, and she left the room a short time later.

"We didn't talk about much," I added.

"Well, as I've been telling your father, you'll have to come and stay with us in New York. We have plenty of room in that big house."

"Heidi," Nathan laughed.

"I'd love to come," I said.

"I'll tell you what," Nathan continued, "as soon as they let me go, I'm going to discuss with your Dad and maybe we'll come up with some sort of visiting arrangement. You could spend your summer with us in New York, and stay here in California for the winter. Would that be acceptable?"

I beamed at the prospect, though I was sure Peter would go insane without me for that long.

"It's not like he couldn't stop by every now and again," Nathan chuckled.

"Oh right…" I closed my eyes. "I keep forgetting."

"Forgetting what?" Heidi asked, and I shook my head.

"Nothing," I promised.

I sat with them for a while, and was surprised when my Dad came shortly before visiting hours ended for the night. Heidi was just preparing to leave, and greeted him with a smile and a quiet "Hello," before giving me a hug good night.

"Oh…didn't Mom tell you I drove myself tonight?" I asked, and Dad shook his head when the two of us stood in the hall alone for a few minutes.

"She did, but I wanted to stop by because I wanted to tell you I found something in the archives this afternoon."

"Wow…you mean you may have found out what happened to Nathan?" I asked, and Dad nodded.

"Yes. I had to dig pretty deep, but I was determined to find an answer, in case this type of thing ever happened again. And we know you're the quickest cure, though it's obvious we won't be able to ship you off to every case that happens."

"Yeah," I laughed quietly, and Dad cleared his throat.

"What he had is called the Shantee virus. It's location of origin is pretty much unknown, but we can be almost positive it didn't come from here."

"If it's been contained for this long, Dad, why did Nathan get sick?" I asked, worried, and he looked at me.

"Did Nathan tell you anything about his health recently, other than feeling woozy?"

I thought for a moment. "Wait…he did say he had to get a flu shot that was apparently mandatory for government officials," I replied, and Dad sighed, closing his eyes.

"I was afraid of something like that," he muttered. "Dammit."

"You think someone injected him with the virus instead of the flu shot?" I stared, horrified. Then again, Nathan was an important government official and Peter said was not exactly well-liked in his position.

"_He called himself a shark once," Peter told me as the two of us sat in front of the TV one night. "And I believe it. Once Nathan gets a grip on something he really rips it to shreds." _

"What can we do?" I looked through the window, and saw Nathan trying to get comfortable so he could fall asleep.

"I don't know yet," Dad replied.

"Are you going to tell him?" I added, and he nodded.

"Yes, I will. But I don't want you saying a word about any of this while he's still in the hospital, all right? We don't want him worrying when he should be resting, just in case this thing decides to flare up again."

"Good point," I sighed. "I wish I knew who was after him…"

"Don't think about it too much right now, Claire," Dad warned. "I'd just go in, say goodnight, and we'll head home."

The idea of leaving Nathan alone in the hospital again wasn't pleasant, and I tried to keep as calm an expression as I could when I came in.

"Hi," I greeted, and Nathan seemed surprised to see my Dad standing with me.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, and my Dad looked at me with a smile.

"Just fine," he promised. "How are you feeling? I wanted to check on you."

"Perfect," Nathan replied. "Just a little stir crazy."

"The doctor has a perfect right to be suspicious," Dad explained. "So I wouldn't take offense that he's making you stay here."

"We're going to go home, though," I announced, and Nathan looked at me.

"All right," he said, embracing me in a tight hug. "Good night, sweetheart." He kissed my forehead as a father would, though it was a bit on the awkward side.

"Good night," I said, and followed my Dad out into the cool summer darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Peter, Heidi, West and I spent the entire week keeping Nathan company at the hospital. It was clear by the time he was released, that if he'd stayed another day, he would have gone absolutely mad with boredom.

My Mom fussed over him when we got home, insisting he take it easy for the next couple of days. "I wouldn't advise traveling yet," she warned, and Dad promised her he would be all right.

"They already kept him an extra week at the hospital, dear. I don't think he needs any further torture."

Nathan gave my Dad a grateful look, and that's when the two of them decided to speak in private. I watched as they disappeared into my Dad's study, shutting the door behind them. I knew what they were going to discuss, and I could see Nathan's face change from concerned to almost fearful within a matter of seconds.

"Don't spy on them, munchkin," Peter warned, taking my arm and leading me away.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"You look as if something's on your mind," Peter added. "What's up?"

"Nathan invited me to spend my summers with him in New York," I admitted, and Peter's eyes widened with surprise. "Heidi mentioned that I really should come visit them, and he made that suggestion."

"Wow," Peter breathed. "How do you feel about that?"

I shrugged. "I'd like to meet Monty and Simon," I replied, who were Nathan's two young boys, and technically my brothers. "And I've wanted to see New York again, and maybe catch up with my old girlfriends from Manhattan High School. I've been meaning to do that, but never got around to it."

"Okay," Peter began, "You do realize that even if Nathan is inviting you to spend the summer with him, it doesn't mean he'll have a lot of time to spend with you. He hardly sees his own family. I wouldn't get my hopes up that anything will change." He looked doubtful about the entire situation, and I wondered if I would have to convince both he and my Dad that I would be okay there.

"I don't really mind that much," I said, and Peter raised an eyebrow. "I'd get to know Heidi better. I'm really starting to like her." It was true…once the initial suspicion wore off, she was a very pleasant woman to be around. However, I had to admit she was a woman with a lot of patience if she had a husband like Nathan Petrelli to deal with.

"Well, I think we'd have to discuss all this with your Dad before we make any decisions," Peter told me. "And I don't think it's going to be easy, considering how bent he is on protecting you. The last thing he'll probably want is to send you with someone who's already in danger."

I sighed, leaning against the wall. "Yeah," I muttered. "I hate how even though I'm eighteen and considered an adult, no one wants to treat me that way."

Peter smirked, ruffling my hair. "Yes we do," he insisted. "But we care about your safety, also. People like us aren't allowed to live normal lives."

"Thanks for reminding me," I muttered, and he shrugged.

When I brought this up to my Dad later on at dinner he said, "Absolutely not. I wouldn't hear of it."

"Why not?" I exclaimed.

"Did you listen to anything I told you at the hospital?" He asked. "Someone was trying to assassinate Nathan! The last thing I want is for you to be in the middle of all that. You'll stay here in Costa Verde, and that's my final answer."

I wanted to scream, to throw my plate across the room, and I could tell Mom was sympathetic. She knew my Dad was overprotective in the worst way, and often balled him out for the extremities he took in regards to my safety.

"I think you're being a little unreasonable, Noah," Mom announced, and I looked at her, wide-eyed. Dad did, too, as though he'd been betrayed. "She's eighteen, and technically old enough to be living on her own if she had the funds. I don't think it would be an issue if she spent a few weeks with Nathan and his family."

"You're completely missing the entire point," Dad growled. "Someone tried to kill him last week."

"Peter says he's hardly ever at the house," I explained. "So it would just Heidi, the boys and me. It's not like I'd be following Nathan around wherever he went."

Dad shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sure if they can't get to Nathan directly, whoever is after him will try to target the family next. I know how that works, Claire. I'm not an idiot. You're not going."

"You can't stop me," I growled, and Dad looked surprised.

"Claire, honey, why don't you go up to your room?" Mom suggested, and I looked at her, Dad, and Lyle, who had been quiet for the entire conversation. He didn't dare speak up when Dad was in this type of mood.

Sighing heavily, I shoved my chair back, and stormed out of the kitchen. I could hear my parents arguing from downstairs, and decided to call Peter and ask for help.

"What could I do?" he asked, and I shrugged.

"You could offer to come with me," I explained. "Dad probably would feel better if I had someone like you watching my back."

"Claire, I…" Peter started to protest, and I rolled my eyes.

"Didn't you say you were looking for ways to use up your vacation time?" I asked. "You and Caitlin aren't getting married till next year, so it's not like you won't have any saved up for your honeymoon. Please, please, please? I've never asked you for anything!" I was near tears, shocked at how adamant I was about spending the rest of the summer with Nathan.

"I'm so glad I'm not actually there right now," Peter muttered. "You'd give me one of those looks and I wouldn't be able to resist if I tried."

I smiled to myself, knowing that would probably happen.

"Please, Peter?" I whined.

He sighed heavily. "All right," he agreed. "All right. I'll be over as soon as I can."

"Thank you," I gasped, and after telling Peter I loved him, I hung up the phone.

When he came to the door, both Mom and Dad were surprised to see him there. "Claire," Dad growled, sensing I'd probably called in desperation, and I folded my arms across my chest when my Uncle came into the house after we opened the door further to let him through.

"Don't worry, she didn't bribe me or anything," Peter insisted. "I wanted to come."

I gave him a grateful smile, trying to ignore Dad's suspicious glare.

Soon after Peter arrived, my Dad brought him into the study as well. I decided to disappear and call Nathan's cell phone at that point, and when he answered, I explained my situation without hesitation.

"Oh Jesus," Nathan muttered. "Claire, I'd hate to say this, but you probably had the worst timing to ask him. What's going on?"

"Dad's saying no, but Peter came to try and convince him otherwise," I admitted, and Nathan sighed.

"All right…can you let me talk to your Dad?" he asked, and I peered through the door, wondering how far along they'd gotten.

"I'll check and see," I replied.

Peter came up just as I came down, and the two of us nearly collided on the stairs. He took the phone from me a few moments later, and told Nathan that Noah agreed to let me come on one condition, that he accompany me every step of the way.

I couldn't believe it! I stood grinning as I held onto the rail for support, afraid that if I'd let go I'd fall the rest of the way.

"Yeah…I can spare a few weeks from the hospital, Nate, trust me. That's not an issue. I'm sure Caitlin will understand, and she'll probably want to come with us. God, you still treat me like a kid sometimes!"

I fought laughter at the comment because that was the same tactic I'd used just a short time ago.

When Peter eventually gave the phone to my Dad, he came to the bottom of the stairs again, and pointed a finger at me.

"I love you, Munchkin, but you owe me big for this," he said, and I hurried down the steps, leaping into his arms.

"Thank you so much," I told him. "Peter, I'll spend the rest of my life making this up to you if I can!"

"I can only imagine," Peter laughed. "You have to understand your Dad's point of view with this, Claire. He's worried about you, and doesn't want anything bad to happen."

"Yeah, I know," I agreed. "But I can't believe I get to spend the summer in New York! Angela, Rose and Megan'll be ecstatic when I tell them. They've been begging me to com back for a long time now."

Peter laughed at my enthusiasm. "It would be nice to see those girls again…they were good to you," he agreed, and I embraced him again.

"You're the best Uncle in the whole world," I exclaimed, and he kissed my forehead.

"Thank you," he replied. "Well, I'd better get going…I promised Caitlin I wouldn't be here very long."

"Okay," I agreed, and he gave me another quick hug and kiss.

"Be good," he warned. "Take it easy on your Dad from now on."

"I will," I insisted, and watched as he left the house. When my father finished getting details from Nathan, he came upstairs to my bedroom.

"Claire, I still don't like this," He admitted. "It's incredibly risky. But as Peter and your mother have both said, you've displayed a lot of maturity for your age, and I should be able to trust your judgment."

"I'm sorry, Dad," I apologized. "But I really want to be part of Nathan's life as much as I can, if he'll let me. I don't want to replace you, ever, but…"

"You have every right to feel that way, honey," Dad promised. "And I'm glad Nathan's been taking interest in your affairs. But I want you to be careful. Even if Peter is going along, he won't be with you every second."

"I know," I agreed. "I'll be careful. I promise." I hugged him, too, and Dad stroked my hair as he always did when he tried to comfort me.

"I never want you to think I'm being unfair," Dad continued. "I'm just being cautious. You are an adult, and a wonderful one. I'm so proud of you, more than I can even say."

"Thanks," I whispered. "So what did Nathan tell you?"

"He's going to pay for your plane ticket, and you'll fly there at the beginning of July. You'll stay in New York for a couple of weeks as a trial, and if it works well enough, we'll do it again next year."

I nodded…June was only a week from being over, so I had time to pack and get myself together. When I told West about my summer plans, he was naturally disappointed, because he was hoping to spend it with me.

"I'll only be gone for a few weeks," I promised. "And I'll be home before you know it."

"It's going to seem like forever," He muttered. "I'll be bored out of my mind!"

"I'm finally reuniting with my biological father…it's something I've dreamt about," I said.

"I am happy for you, don't get me wrong," West replied. "I'm just a selfish pig, and I want you all for myself."

I laughed. "Everybody seems to," I teased. "Listen, I promise I'll call as much as possible, okay?"

"You don't have to do that," West insisted. "But I'd like a text message every now and again to let me know you're still alive."

"I will," I said, and after we said we loved each other, I hung up my cell and set it on my nightstand.

Gazing around the bedroom that I'd grown comfortable with over a couple of months, I thought about my life thus far. From the time I discovered I was different to accepting the abilities I've been given…and still not knowing what would become of me.

"For right now, just live life one day at a time," I told myself, as I prepared myself for my newest adventure.


End file.
